


Axis

by Vixx2pointOh



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bratva Oliver - sort of, Didn't See That Coming, Don't you DARE get on the plane Oliver, Dysfunctional Family, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Secrets, Feels, Felicity can and will kick your ass, Finished, Fluff and Angst, Girl Power, Hero but not as you know it, Lots of Plot so Keep Up, Mind Games, Oliver's a Dad, Penguins, Plot Driven, Relationship(s), Role Reversal, Romance, Secrets, Sequel, Yelling at the screen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-05-30 06:20:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 74,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6412456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vixx2pointOh/pseuds/Vixx2pointOh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Baseline</p><p>The trump card was played.<br/>She was alive.<br/>What would Oliver be willing to risk to bring her home?</p><p>Pick up where we left them, Felicity and Oliver intrinsically linked in the past and the present struggling against insurmountable odds to fight battles against sides they didn’t know existed in a game of Russian Roulette where neither black or red is a winner.</p><p>*Completed*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tricks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Axis is the truth everything revolves around; the past, the present and the future  
> Each one existing in a delicate balance  
> Each one existing under a web of lives and lies  
> Each one existing to threaten the balance of the other

 

Sequel to [Baseline](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6210976/chapters/14229190)

 

* * *

 

“Ollie, I’m scared” Thea breathed hastily into the video link

“Thea, I’ll find you” as the words left Oliver’s mouth, the screen went blank

He cried out as though someone had cut into his literal heart.  His hand raised above his head, the tablet poised, ready to throw, when a hand gently touched his forearm.

“Don’t, I might be able to” a breath “find” a sigh “something” Felicity dropped the gun, her head was spinning, her eyes starting to close, it was only at that time did she realise the extent of the amount of blood she had lost.

 

Her eyes closed, her body shutting down all things it deemed unnecessary.

Oliver noticed the pool of blood around her, her face pale and her eyes resting closed.  He took off his jacket and removed the lining in a fashion that would have made the designer of the high end suit scream. 

He bound the material tightly around the wound on her leg, tucked the gun back into his waist band and picked her up gently.  He was surprised at how light she was, he had seen her as so strong but in this moment he saw a hauntingly beautiful fragility that made him see just how vulnerable she could be and how much he wanted to be her strength if hers was failing.

 

She stirred a little, her head falling softly against his chest as he navigated the back halls of the house he knew well.  He had spent a great deal of time here after Merlyn died and Tommy came back.  Oliver never understood why Tommy brought the place, it didn’t seem like his type of house – but then, Oliver knew he had been wrong about a great many things when it came to the type of person Tommy was.

 

He found the door to the back yard he had been searching for, it was locked, but all it took was one kick and if flung open into the darkened night.

The moon was high in the sky, its light dancing a path along out in front of him.  He only had maybe 200 feet to get to the side road he had sent John and Lyla to.  The sirens were closer now and he could see the lights piercing through the trees to the left of him.

He hesitated, should he take her to them?  He knew they would need answers and he wasn’t sure which ones to provide.

He made his decision.  His feet were unsteady against the uneven grounds of the yard and his arms were beginning to tire, but in his heart he knew he would carry her whatever distance he needed to.  It was a strange thought, one that almost took him by surprise.  He knew he loved her, a part of him always had even when he thought she didn’t feel the same way, but it was becoming increasingly clear to him just _how much_ he loved her.

 

* * *

 

Lyla tapped John’s arm as they waited with the lights off on the side track that Oliver had told them about.

“There” she said quietly, acutely aware they had young ears listening in

John looked out the window following her finger until the tip of the moonlight caught the figure of Oliver carrying something.

 

He opened the door and stepped from the car, racing to meet Oliver at the fence.  He didn’t need floodlights to see that Felicity looked in bad shape.

John pulled back the fence where he had cut a whole and stood against it, his arms outstretched to take Felicity from Oliver.  Oliver shook his head, he wasn’t going to put her down just yet.

The car door opened and Oliver was met with Amelie’s frightened face.  Her eyes were locked on his for only a moment, before she looked down and saw who was in his arms.

 

Her face turned from one of relief at the sight of her mother, to one of fear at the realisation – even as a child – that something was wrong.

“Mommy?” she whispered, as though afraid of her own voice

“Hey Melie, it’s ok, mommy’s ok, she’s just tired” Oliver smiled, gently placing Felicity on seat before climbing in next to her

Felicity stirred again, for only a second this time as he scooped her in close to him.

“Only mommy calls me that, you can’t” Amelie sniffed, her face pained – all she knew was this man had come into their lives and so many things had been bad – it was misplaced, but her caution of him was growing.

“You’re right, I’m sorry” he said, trying to calm her as best he could “we’re going to take mommy to the hospital now, she’ll be fine”

 

John started the car and drove away, the lights still off to avoid drawing any attention.  Oliver had already told him where the roadway would come out, and it would put them away from any emergency personal responding to the explosion at Tommy’s house.

They pulled alongside the hospital and Oliver started to open the door, when Lyla spoke up.

“You can’t take her in Oliver”

He looked at her, confused.

“You’re virtually a celebrity, you take her in there and they will ask more questions than you have good answers for, I’ll take her”

He went to disagree, but catching John’s eyes he knew he was thinking the same thing.

“What will you tell them?” Oliver questioned as Lyla took Felicity from his arms.

“I’m a trained liar Oliver, I’m sure I can think of something”

 

She disappeared in through the automatic doors.  Oliver hated the thought of leaving Felicity, but he knew it would take less than 12 hours for photos of him to surface carrying a woman who had been shot.  It was common sense but still it pained him to do it.

John drove around to a dark area of the parking lot and stopped the car.

Oliver turned his attention to Amelie, who had pushed herself against the door, her face buried in her arms, her knees tucked up to her body.  He couldn’t help but remember he had seen Felicity in the same stance when she was frustrated at something.

He gently touched her shoulder and she flinched, pushing herself tighter against the door and letting out a quiet, but clear, “No”

“I’m sorry Amelie, I know you’re scared, but mommy will be ok” he breathed, this was new to him – how do you reassure a 5 year old?

She finally looked up, her blue eyes were red now, her little cherub face as stained with tears and her little lips quivered as she tried to hold back more tears.

“I don’t want you to be my daddy, if it means mommy gets hurt” she whispered, not in anger but in the only truth her little mind could process.  She knew nothing of Felicity’s time with ARGUS, she knew nothing of the complexities that filled this situation – all she knew was what she saw and what she spoke.

 

Despite knowing this, the words stung Oliver – he had come into this assuming that everything would be sunshine and rainbows.  He was not prepared for the rain clouds.  Also, there was some truth to her words, although shrouded in issues reaching beyond him, a truth boiled down to the fact that if he had not entered back into their lives Tommy would not have had the information, or the leverage, that he did.  That tiny raincloud of guilt was now growing atop him and he didn’t know what to say to Amelie, or himself, to make it better.

 

“I want to go see mommy, please” Amelie cried, climbing over the front seat and into John’s arms.

“Hey baby girl, we’ll go in real soon.  You close your eyes now and rest though so when it’s time Mommy gets to see that smile of yours” John responded, pulling her close, her tiny body fully wrapped by arms.

John cracked a sympathetic smile back at Oliver.  Amelie had known John for her whole life, he had been a fixture in good times and bad, it was understandable that she would seek comfort with him – nevertheless, it brought home to Oliver just how much of her life he had missed out on, and how much more he wanted to be a fixture in it, so that in the future when she was seeking comfort, it would be in his arms that she found it.

 

* * *

 

Lyla returned to the car her face tired, but controlled.

“She’s ok, she’s out of surgery.  She lost a lot of blood, but it didn’t hit anything major, so she’ll be fine” she smiled

Oliver stepped from the car before Lyla stopped him.

He sighed, exacerbated “I’m going in...” he started

“I know, but a change of clothes might be in order, there are some in the back” she nodded towards the trunk

Oliver looked down at himself, under the yellow glow of the street lamp he saw what had drawn her concern.  His clothes were dishevelled and stained red with Felicity’s blood, it was no wonder Amelie has stared at him so frightfully.

 

He changed as quickly as he could, spilling bottled water over his hands in a futile attempt to wash the blood off.

He looked down at his stained hands, unsure if they were tarnished to the extent that he saw them, but there was little more he could do.  Putting his hands into the pocket of his dark jeans he nodded towards Lyla, he was ready.

John stepped from the car, Amelie had fallen asleep in his arms out of sheer exhaustion, her little arms were tight around his neck, even in sleep she wasn’t letting him go.

 

* * *

Oliver stopped outside the door that Lyla had directed him to.  His hand was poised over the handle.  He thought for a moment about the time she had come to visit him, he didn’t remember it himself, he had tried hard to bring that memory to the surface but it was only fragments pieced together from what she had told him.

He opened the door and stepped him.  Her head rolled towards the noise, her eyes groggy and barely open.  He had been warned she was pretty heavily medicated and would probably not respond to much, if anything, at this stage.  Regardless, he smiled and took a seat next to her bed.

 

“Hi” he breathed, slowly brushing stray hair from her face

She managed a soft smile, just the corners of her mouth turned upwards – but it was enough for him.

“I’m sorry for…” he started

Her hand moved slowly up to his mouth, silencing his words as her lips pursed to breathe out a “sssh” and her head slowly shook from side to side.

 

She was tired, her eyes wanted to close and her body wanted to rest now.  But, before it did, she needed him to know that he didn’t have to be sorry, not now and not about this.  Her eyes searched his hoping he would understand her silent thoughts.

He blinked his sea-blue eyes.  He understood.

Her eyes closed with the image of his smiling face.  It was a good image, a calming one that brought her the nicest of dreams in the deepest of sleeps.

Oliver kissed the hand that had slipped down from his lips and placed it delicately on the bed beside her and for just a moment he watched her sleeping in peace and he was in peace.  Until he remembered Thea and the brief moment of serenity was cut short by the visions of her scared face.

* * *

  

Tommy took a knee before the man with his back to him as was the custom.  He had come back a failure – he had failed in his task and in his father’s quest for vengeance.  These failures were written over his twisted face.

“Rise Al Mubtadi*, there is no need for you to prostrate yourself” the figure said, turning to face Tommy “you may not have succeeded in your trial, but you have much more to learn still”

“I could not complete my father’s final task, to create a war that would see Starling City destroyed.  I could not avenge his death” Tommy stood, his head still bowed before the man whose age was unknown to him.

“Al Sa-Her was a man of many plans, many tricks, it should not surprise you to know he had another” Ra’s Al Ghul spoke, with only a flicker of a controlled smile pass across his face.

 

_Another trick indeed._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Al Mubtadi = The Apprentice
> 
> I spell it colour - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;)
> 
> A big special thanks goes out to Tavia - my wonderful idea bouncer. You're awesome.
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.  
> 


	2. Even

Felicity’s eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the florescent light above the bed _– why were hospital lights always so bright?._ There was a heavy feeling against her left side. She didn’t need to look to know what it was, it was one she had grown accustomed to and one she was immeasurably fond of.

Sure enough she looked down and was met with the top of a head, a beautiful little head with soft blond hair spilling messily over the hospital linen. A little body curled up against hers, tucked in as close as humanly possible.

Felicity thumbed through her hair gently, careful not to wake her, she didn’t have a clue what the time was, but it felt early and it had been a long night, Amelie needed to sleep.

She looked around the room and her eyes fell upon Oliver stretched out on the chair in the corner. His long legs were an imposing presence into the room, stretched out straight, his back slouched against the salmon coloured arm chair. His arms folded across his chest, his hands tucked up under his arm pits. His eyes closed with his head resting on a balled up jacket. His face was unwashed, his once groomed hair from the night before now spiking in different directions in a mess of a fashion that was far removed from his usual well-groomed self.

She couldn’t help but admire the two sleeping people in the room, they meant so much to her. Amelie was her world, her heart and her life. Oliver was fast becoming much the same. She had allowed herself to think about him in the same way all those years ago. One day she would remind him of a conversation they once had. She suspected the accident had taken that memory from him otherwise she was sure he would have said something.

 

**March 2009**

 

It was almost 10:30pm they were in bed, naked. Oliver’s hands were drawing lines down Felicity’s back as his head lay on the pillow behind her. She had snuck into his room this time, quiet as a mouse in the large house where no one heard a thing.

She was sitting upright, her legs pulled into her chest, her arms resting atop her knees, her eyes gazing at the large TV screen at the end of Oliver’s bed. She was concentrating hard on the screen trying to read the subtitles from that distance.

“Why are you even trying to watch that?” he whispered, kissing the dimple at the small of her back. He loved that dimple, that dimple drove him wild, he had even named it – cupcake.

He would ask her at breakfast with his parents right there how cupcake was. She would bite her lip trying not to laugh her eyes wide with embarrassment. Robert was unaware they were even there, Thea was confused and Moira would stare at him with laser eyes – like she knew something was going on, but she didn’t quite now what.

 

“I love this movie” Felicity whispered back, playfully swatting him away

“It’s not even in English and I have no idea what’s going on” he laughed, as he slid his naked body upright behind her, his head resting on her shoulder, his naked – and now no longer covered by the Egyptian cotton sheet – already half erect member pushed against her outer thigh, eager for another round.

“I’ll take you to Paris one day” he whispered in her ear, the warmness of his breath sending goose bumps flecking across her neck

“And Rome?” she smiled, turning her head slightly to meet his eyes

“And Rome” he agreed, tracing a path of kisses from one shoulder to the other, brushing aside her long dark hair.

“And Russia” she grinned, craning her neck to bend to the will of his mouth

“Russia? Really?” he smiled, taking a break from kissing her as his hand rubbed down her arm

“Yes, I’d love to go to Russia, the history in that place is amazing” she breathed, her voice raising just an octave with excitement, then dropping back down for fear someone might hear them.

“Russia it is then, QC have a branch there, my mother spent much of her youth there and that’s where Raisa’s from” he spoke calmly, truth was he had been there only once. Moira didn’t speak of it much, but he knew she had relatives there ones that he didn't recall meeting. He was only a boy that visit, maybe 10, it was boring and cold that was all he could recall this many years later.

 

Felicity’s attention was drawn back to the TV, a scene played out in front of them that she watched with happy eyes and a soft smile peeking across her face.

“What’s the girl’s name?” Oliver asked nodding towards the screen

“Amelie” Felicity replied “I love that name” she added with a soft sigh

“We’ll name our daughter that then” Oliver joked, before pulling Felicity down into his lap and wresting the remote from her hands.

 

She smiled up at him, a cheeky playful smile as she poked her finger into his cheek.

“What makes you think I want to have your babies” she laughed with a candour that was both spontaneous and endearing.

“Because, I’m taking you to Paris” he smiled charmingly which she had grown to realise was all a charade – he wasn’t a cocky rich kid, he was kind, he was thoughtful he was someone she was fast falling head over heels for her – a feeling she was not accustomed to, but a feeling that she was very open to.

Truth be told – and she was scared to admit it to herself – she could see herself in her mid 20s married to this man and deciding when was the right time to have kids. She could see him as her husband, her lover and the father of her children. She would chastise herself for thinking that way, they had only known each other a short time – but still, her mind would wander there occasionally and it was like a beautiful daydream.

He leant down and kissed her deeply on the lips, his hand rubbing her inner thigh as his legs entwined with hers.

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go” he breathed, his eyes locked on hers, her dark hair spilling across the white linens, the contrast something beautiful to him.

“How about for now, we just stay here” she whispered, her lips moving to a mere ¼ inch away from his.

His lips gently sucked on her bottom lip, his tongue skating over it with no hesitation. He was engrossed in her which, despite his long term relationship with Laurel, was something he had never experienced. He would give – or give up – anything for her. He knew he would do her bidding no matter what she asked of him. He had well and truly become besotted by her.

 

**Present Day**

 

_We’ll call our daughter Amelie._

Felicity smiled fondly remembering that night. With the soft glow from the TV still illuminating the bed, they had made love again – softly and slowly that time, drinking in each part of the other’s body. They had spent their time with each other, buying out the minutes, doing things they hadn’t before – not a desire held back from them that night. It was the only night that they had fallen deep asleep after and Felicity had not returned to her room.

 

Felicity had long suspected that Moira knew, the look on her face that morning was harsher than normal, but nothing was ever said about it.

When she was pregnant and alone at night, and the tears had run dry, Felicity allowed herself a moment of reflection on that night. More than once she had traced her swollen belly and remembered.

_We’ll call our daughter Amelie._

So she had.

Despite everything else, she had kept that as her secret reminder of that night and that feeling which she had carried with her, even till now.

 

John appeared at the doorway pulling Felicity back into the moment.

“How are you feeling?” he whispered almost tiptoeing to the side of her hospital bed.

"I’m ok, nothing that can’t heal” she smiled as his hand gently touched her shoulder in a moment of affection that she had come to find great comfort in over the years

“I’m sorry about her” he said nodding towards Amelie, still fast asleep “she wouldn’t leave your side. Actually, neither would he” he smiled titling his head back towards Oliver, also still asleep.

 

“Thank you” she smiled – it was a thank you for everything he had done before, for every time he had been there and especially for the time he returned from active service to look after Amelie when she couldn’t stand to. The long stretch where she had removed herself from everything after she had shot Malcolm Merlyn – it was strange for her to now have a name for that face that still haunted her – the time when she woke up in a hospital much like this, when she was showering for the first time once the bandages were removed and she saw the horrifically red angry scars across her back – a stark reminder of a period she would never forget.

She threw up after seeing them, the taste of what she had become wrapped up in a bitter pill to taste. It was then she had decided to leave Starling, without her daughter. It was a decision that she regretted and was determined to make up for since returning.

“You should have told him earlier” John spoke in his sagely voice – which Felicity was well aware would be followed with all the reasons why said thing should – or should not – have happened.

“It was complicated, I tried” she started to speak

“You didn’t try hard enough Fe” he shook his head slowly, not angry but as a father would to a child who had taken the last cookie without asking “his heart was broken last night Fe, Amelie’s so little, she didn’t understand – all she saw was her mom hurt and she blames him. A father can’t be a dad unless he’s in that child’s life”

 

He was right – of course she knew that. There had been chances she could have found him, could have told him. Sure she didn’t know he never received the letters – never knew his daughter even existed – but it was _her_ pain that had kept her from seeking him out.

“I’m trying now Dig” she whispered truthfully

“I know kiddo, you loved him and you thought he didn’t love you back”

She almost cringed at his words – she had never spoken of her feelings towards Amelie’s father (unnamed to them), but John always had a sixth sense about these sorts of things and it always unnerved her just a little.

“And now?” he smiled, his voice just a little quieter than before

“And now what?” she replied, she wasn’t following

“Do you love him now?”

“I – I” Felicity stammered, had they even said that to each other yet? Sure, they had slept together – more than a few times – and she was living at his house (still mainly because she broke the building manager’s nose at her previous place), but they had been so wrapped up in slotting into a family life, she couldn’t think of when those words had been spoken. _Did she love him?_

“You haven’t said it?” John questioned with that sixth sense of his

“I-I” she was lost for words – unusual for her

“I don’t know where you guys stand, but last night I saw him carry you a pretty decent distance, I saw him anxious to hear if you were ok, I saw him struggle with rejection from his daughter and I watched him sit in that chair and watch you like if he took his eyes away from you for a second the world would stop turning. So I’m pretty sure I know how he feels about you. Just make sure you feel the same way” he smiled as Amelie stirred in the bed next to Felicity.

“I’ll go see if I can get some jell-o for breakfast” he winked as Amelie opened one eye and blinked up at him.

 

John left the room as Amelie stretched her little limbs, reminiscent of how a cat would.

“Hey Melie” Felicity breathed softly, kissing the top of Amelie’s head

Amelie’s smile brimmed widely as if she had been told it was her birthday and Christmas.

She hugged Felicity tightly, her little body falling into the cuddle as only a child does.

 

“I’m so sorry you got scared last night baby, but I’m ok, I promise” Felicity cooed, brushing back Amelie’s hair

The little girl’s face was fulling up with worry and trepidation “did Daddy do it?” she whispered noticing him asleep on the chair in the corner of the room.

“Oh no honey, your daddy, he saved me” Felicity replied, each word deliberately showing an exaggerated tone

“He did?” Amelie’s head titled as she stole another look at Oliver

“He certainly did. Mommy got hurt, but daddy took me here so I’m okay now, he’s my hero” Felicity smiled, tucking Amelie’s hair behind her ears

Amelie leaned in close to Felicity’s ear and whispered “like a superhero?”

Felicity nodded, her eyes wide, matching the little girl’s wonderment.

 

Oliver stirred in the chair, instinctively stretching his hands above his head, his whole body stiff from the position he had kept all night.

He rubbed his eyes to see Amelie hugging Felicity. He stood up and collected the jacket in his hands

“I’m glad you’re awake” he smiled to Felicity – wanting to say more, but not wanting to break the moment between her and Amelie “I can give you guys some time alone” he added nodding towards the door.

Amelie pricked up, her little face beaming – a different look than the one Oliver had seen her sporting the night before. She practically threw herself off the bed and ran straight for him.

Unlike previous times, his arms were ready for her as she skidded into him. He picked her up with ease as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his chest in what could only be described as a baby possum hug.

She squeezed and then released enough to kiss his cheek fondly.

“Thank you” she whispered in his ear.

 

John appeared back in the room and spent a moment smiling at the sight before him until Amelie noticed him.

Amelie motioned downwards and Oliver placed her feet back on the floor.

“Hey baby girl, the nurses like you, they say you can have some jell-o out with them, would you like that?”

Amelie’s eyes widened as she looked at Felicity with pleading eyes.

“You go with Dig okay Melie”

Amelie skidded over to John who took her hand and walked from the room, but not before Amelie made him lean down and she – not so quietly – said into his ear “my daddy is a superhero” with an innocent glint in her eye.

 

“So, I owe you a thank you” Felicity said shuffling up the bed a little

“You don’t owe me anything” Oliver smiled as he perched on the bed beside her.

“Oliver?” she breathed, her eyes focused on the knitted hospital blanket across her legs for fear of looking at him

“Yes?” he grinned, titling his head downwards to meet her eye line

She looked up, as did he – maintain eye contact.

“I don’t know if this is the right time or place, or what you’re going to say. I don’t even really know how to say it, but, I – I” she hesitated “I just feel like I need to say”

She breathed deeply, calming her racing heart – _why was this so hard to get out?_

Oliver looked at her, almost concerned.

“What I’m trying to say, is” she smiled “I love you”

 

_There, they were even – she said it first this time._

He leant in and kissed her lips softly “I love you too”

* * *

 

Tommy followed a cloaked Ra’s through the dimly lit halls of Nanda Parbat. Halls he had come to know over the times he’d spent there since he had made the discovery that had pushed him to seek out a part of his father’s life he had not been privy to before.

It was after his father’s death – or murder as he now came to view it – he had been sifting through the rubble of his ruined childhood home. He had previously refused to return there, but now the city was requiring something be done with the property, so there he was, rummaging through bricks and mortar looking for nothing in particular when he found it.

It was bent and battered, the door buckled outwards, but there was still something inside it. Using a crowbar to open it he found not only the photo of a young Felicity and Oliver, which he had taunted them with, but he also found papers – notes, none of which made sense and some papers written only in Arabic and a map to the location he stood in now, a map which had his name written on it and the instructions in his father’s penmanship that if Tommy found it, it was because he was dead and he should take the map and a signet ring also in the safe to the location on the map. So he had and he had found a whole new level of his father – The Magician.

He had learnt much, Ra’s had accepted the ring his father had left for Tommy to take and so Tommy began his journey as a horseman to finish his father’s plan and, as is custom, avenge the one who killed him.

He had been told about Pegasus and so began his quest, he had returned to Nanda Parbat after he sunk the Queen’s Gambit. A fly by of the wreckage had yielded a surprise, Thea had been on the boat. He had found her floating on a large bulk head the water lapping up against her still body. When they winched her into the helicopter he had thought she was dead, but they had found a pulse and so, after searching for Oliver, finding nothing and wrongly assuming he had become a causality – as had been the plan – Tommy returned to Nanda Parbat with a gift Ra’s had accepted, a scared teenager with a last name Ra’s knew and a lineage he had been privy to. She had remained there ever since.

 

Ras’s stopped before they reached their final destination.

“Al Mubtadi, your father had many plans, to finish his work you must learn these and they will require you to go back to Starling, there you will find the instruments you need. Your dealings with the Queens is not at an end. I will see the rest of your father's note delivered to your room tonight”.

“Oliver?” Tommy questioned between gritted teeth – his friend had chosen his side and it was against Tommy

“No” Ra’s calmly continued as he began walking again “Robert, once known to us here, once friend to your father. He has something you will be needing”

They stopped outside a small room with a locked door flanked by two masked assassins. Looking in Tommy spotted Thea sitting cross legged on a mat on the floor, facing the wall, her back to the door.

 

“If Robert has something we want, why not trade it for something he would want?” Tommy nodded towards Thea

“No, a man would not relinquish power for a child that is not his”

 

The words hung in the air, Tommy waited for something more of an explanation – but nothing was forth coming and he new better than to ask.

_Thea Queen was not Robert Queen’s daughter._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spell it colour - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;)
> 
> A big special thanks goes out to Tavia - my wonderful idea bouncer. You're awesome.
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.  
> 


	3. Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning: The Smut has landed. Do with that what you will.

 

Thea sat still, her eyes closed, but her ears open.  Her back was straight, her legs tucked under each other, her feet balanced on the outside of her legs.

Her mind was awash, but she was trying to focus it.  Asking herself the same questions she had for numbers of days she couldn’t remember.

_Who are you?_

Thea Queen

_Who is Ollie?_

Oliver Queen

_Who is your mother?_

Her mind was foggy.

_Who is your mother?_

The name was gone.

Margaret?

She was someone's daughter, she knew that. Right?

_Where is your home?_

Here.

No.

Her eyes slowly opened and she found the spot on the wall that she had spent many an hour staring at.

_Who are you?_

The spot didn’t answer. 

* * *

 

 “I’m fine, really” Felicity laughed as Oliver balanced one arm in front and one arm behind her, navigating her through the front door of the penthouse.

After a week they had discharged her, walking was a little painful, but it would heal fine.  No permanent damage and just another small scar to add to the expanding list.

“Just be careful on the floors, they’re a bit slippery” Oliver replied, he shrugged when he heard himself and saw the smirk cross her face.

She was silently mocking him.

“Mommy” Amelie smiled appearing from the lounge, Lyla close behind.

She walked pensively up to Felicity, aware without being told, that she probably shouldn’t jump at her like she wanted.  So instead she leant against Oliver and clasped Felicity’s hand into her own.

“Daddy bought me a pony” she squealed without reserve

Felicity’s eyes shot up at Oliver who refused to make eye contact.

“I’m sorry, a pony?” Felicity questioned, her grip on Oliver’s forearm tightening

 

Finally he looked at her, sheepishly “I felt bad about her birthday” – they had decided with everything that was going on that anything more than a family meal together wasn’t really appropriate at the moment.  Amelie had been fine with it, more fine than Felicity expected – she was beginning to see why.

“So you bought her a pony?” she smiled

“I asked her what she wanted” he shrugged “she said a pony”

Felicity looked down at Amelie who was beaming from ear to ear, hopping from one foot to the other like the joy and excitement radiating from her was going to make her explode.

 

Felicity should have been mad, she didn’t want Amelie to turn out spoiled and unappreciative of the little things in life, but reflecting on Oliver’s face she couldn’t be – he was radiating the same level of excitement.  She saw it for what it was, a father wanting to make a daughter happy.

“Well, I guess we own a pony then” Felicity smiled rubbing Amelie’s head and jokingly shaking her own at Oliver’s complete lack of restraint.

“She’s at a stable just out of town, Lyla will take her to any riding lessons we can take her to ourselves”

Lyla nodded in the background, she had walked away from ARGUS without an explanation, Waller had been suspiciously okay with it, which hung at the back of Lyla’s head.  Waller also hadn’t mentioned the missing code – which she must have noticed.  It all seemed too easy, but Lyla was not oblivious to it and she had filed many a mental note on the matter.

 

She had agreed, happily, to – on the surface – be Amelie’s nanny, and – below the surface – ensure that no one ever got as close to her as Tommy did.  It was in that knowledge that Felicity felt at ease taking up Oliver’s offer for her to work at the new branch of Applied Sciences.

Amelie kissed Felicity’s hand then scooted back into the lounge.

“I’m glad you’re ok” Lyla nodded with a soft smile before following Amelie back to the lounge – another episode of _My Little Ponies_ awaited them.

“Do you have the tablet?” Felicity asked, her eyes trained on Oliver’s

“You should rest” Oliver replied gesturing upstairs, his heart heavy at the thought that Thea was still out there

“Oliver, we’ll find her.  I don’t need rest, I need to do something” Felicity replied, her tone suggesting there was no sense she was going to back down, she had been running over many scenarios staring up at the hospital ceiling, they _needed_ to find Thea.

“It’s upstairs, in your office”

She kissed his cheek and made her way to the staircase, his balanced arms either side of her following.

 

* * *

 

Felicity chewed on the pencil, her body rocked against the back of the chair, she had found nothing.  _Absolutely nothing useful anyway_.  The tablet had been modified to only transmit – like the cameras – for a certain amount of time, 50 seconds to be precise, and then virtually self-destruct.  50 seconds was not enough time to leave anything residual that Felicity could follow.

As much as she wanted to refute it, it appeared to be a dead end.

She had tried every trick she knew.

_Unless_

 

She tapped into Applied Sciences’ database, looking for something of a needle in a haystack. 

 _There_ hidden among the latest phone technology for taking even better selfies and the specs for what looked like a super car engine was a small reader that could recover minuscule amounts of data once thought unrecoverable.  It was a long shot, but _maybe_.

She checked its location, hoping it was housed at the facility on the edge of Starling – but nothing would ever be that simple.  It was still in testing phase, its current home was at Queen Consolidated – _the lion’s den._

While officially, Applied Sciences was now under the sole management of Oliver Queen, the Board had rejected the proposal to move out of the offices, stating it would look like a family feud – _they had no idea how right they were_.  So while Felicity could work remotely, if she wanted anything tangible to use, she would need to go there, to the 40 th floor, 2 floors below Robert and Moira’s offices.  _So be it._

Given it was 8:30pm – it would have to be tomorrow.

Oliver appeared behind her as he had done every 20 minutes or so for the last 4 hours, and kissed the back of her head, his hands rubbing her shoulders, a feeling she melted in to.

 

“I think I found something, but we need to take a trip to QC tomorrow” Felicity piped up, excited she could finally offer him something tangible.

“Are you sure you want to go there? They’ll be there” he spoke a worried expression forming across his face.

Neither Robert nor Moira knew about Thea, Oliver made the call – he no longer trusted them and he was confident that it had been the right choice.

“I’m not afraid of your parents Oliver, they’ve already tried their best and failed, there isn’t anything more they can do to me, or us” she smiled, confident in her words.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have been quite so confident.

* * *

 

“Yes, I understand” Moira spoke in hushed tones in the corner of the dimly lit restaurant

“We had a deal, did you not think we would find out?” the heavy-set man with the thick Russian accent gruffly replied before finishing off the drink in front of him “Make peace with it дочь (doch’)* this is beyond you” he finished, standing from the table and throwing down more money than required to cover the tab. 

Moira watched him leave and it wasn’t until he disappeared out of her line of sight that she finally remembered how to breathe. 

She wasn’t his daughter, but the message was the same regardless. 

She had made a promise, made them a deal, a deal which she had done unspeakable things to work in her favour. 

She should have known when she read the handwritten note _“Oliver…. I’m pregnant”_ that this deal she had made had an expiry date. 

She had tried to extend it.

She had done much in the course of trying to prolong the inevitable. Unfortunately the time was up.  There was a debt owed now. 

 

(*Daughter)

* * *

 

Oliver hung up the phone as the clocked ticked over to 11:46pm.

He rubbed his tied eyes as a large yawn escaped his body. 

He pushed his chair back and stood up, the house was eerily quiet, he supposed Felicity may have fallen asleep sometime around his sixth business call of the night. 

He checked his lounge on the way out, she wasn’t there.  At the top of the stairs he checked the study, empty.  He switched the lights off as he almost tiptoed over to Amelie’s room and with trepidation to it possibly squeaking, he pushed the door open.  The glow of her nightlight lit up her tiny frame, fast asleep.  He blew her a silent kiss and hoped she would find peace in her dreams tonight – unlike the nights before. 

Crossing back over the same path that took him to her room, he saw a flickering light from under the door of the master bedroom. 

The door creaked open in the still night.  Felicity was fast sleep, her back to the door facing instead towards a laptop on the bed that was playing some movie Oliver didn’t immediately recognise. 

It was a dark but clear night, the moon was full and the glow from the lights around the city were a reminder that there were other people in the world still awake like him.  He turned off the light, wishing the city a gestured good night. 

He stripped down to briefs and disappeared into the bathroom.  He returned with minty fresh breath and a slightly damp face. 

He picked up the laptop, still running the movie.  Something about it caught his attention, the fair skinned actress with the dark short bob was smiling and talking – _in French?_ was his best guess.  There was definitely something strikingly familiar to him about this movie, something he couldn’t quite place, but he would be remiss to ignore the feeling.  He hovered the cursor over the screen until the name of the movie appeared _Amelie_. 

 _We’ll name our daughter that_ He heard the words coming out of his mouth all those years ago.

He had said that, he was sure he had said that.  He struggled, his face vexed trying to pull the full memory back from where it had being cast aside. 

 _I love that name_ her words

 _We’ll name our daughter that_ his words 

And she had.

After everything, she had.

She had been alone, and she still had. 

He had been alone and done something very different.

But she had given him that.  His daughter. 

He felt the emotion stirring up inside him as he felt her body roll over on the bed beside him.  Glancing over his shoulder her felt a single tear escape from his eye.  She was immeasurably better than him and he would spend the rest of his life making sure she knew it. 

She had given him that. 

His eyes walked down her body, the soft curve of her shoulder, the deeper curve of her waist as she lay on her side, her back now to him.  Her tank top had ridden up her back exposing the part of her back she often hid from him.  The part where if he touched it during their moments of passion she would flinch, anxious trepidation filling her expression, or she would simply move his hand away. 

He reached out his hand and touched one of the scars with the softest of touches, a mere peck from a fingertip.  She didn’t stir.  He followed the path the same scar took across her back.  He knew where they had happened, he knew how the glass had shattered around her, ripping at her flesh.  In each inch he followed he felt her pain, physically and emotionally. 

He followed another crossroad down her spine, across the small of her back.  Her skin was still so soft to his touch, like satin it moved beneath his fingertip.  His finger dipped into the dimple he had not noticed before and he was awash with a sudden urge to run his finger around the circumference. 

There was more to this memory.

 _W_ _e’ll name our daughter that_

_I’ll take you to Paris_

As his hand glided across the dimple, he remembered everything about that night like he was reliving it now in this moment.  The sight of her dark hair on the white linen, the way her nails had felt as they dragged across his thigh, the way he had wanted to scream that he loved her for the whole house to hear but she had silenced him with her hand and the way she had felt lying next to him, naked and asleep in his arms. 

He lay down next to her, his body folding around hers – fitting perfectly.  He softly kissed an exposed part of her neck as he whispered ever so delicately in her ear “I’ll take you to Paris”. 

* * *

 

Felicity smoothed down her dress as her and Oliver stepped into the yellow-lit elevator at Queen Consolidated.  She had chosen the A-line knee length shirt dress specifically, the tight bodice fit her perfectly, the navy colour complemented her milky skin and blue eyes and the zip that started at her neckline and carried on to mid-thigh would do nicely.

Oliver smiled at her as she subconsciously primped herself, assuming she was nervous to be in the building – she wasn’t.

Just as the doors were about to close the two of them in the elevator alone heading for the Applied Sciences office on Level 40 a perfectly red manicured hand waved at them to hold the doors, Oliver leant in front of Felicity to push the door open button.

“Not if you value your life” Felicity whispered in her ear, stopping his finger mid-air.

She held down the door closed button and watched the leggy brunette just miss the ride.

“That was mean” Oliver smiled, his hand resting now on the small of her back, affectionately sure, but to Felicity it felt like kid gloves.

 

They hadn’t being truly intimate since Tommy shot her, granted for many it wasn’t that long, but their past, shall we call it dealings, had been insatiable.  The ravenous need that had filled his eyes when they had made fast, heated love in the back of the town car still sent a reminding shiver down her spine to her g-spot.  They had continued with dealings in the chair in the home office, the shower, against the glass doors on the second storey patio.  The way his eyes widened when he needed her, when he would give anything to take her, nothing held back, she loved that, she missed that.

He had touched her, sweetly, intimately, but he would pull back, treating her like anything more than a light touch would break her.  He had rebuffed the advances she had made in a sheer black camisole the night before, even though it looked like it pained him greatly to do so, citing that she needed to rest.

She appreciated the kindness, but she was fine, she just wanted to be taken by the man standing next to her with his hand gently on her back.

 

She leaned against him, her chest purposely pushed towards his.  Her hands slid up either side of his jacket lapel, pulling him in close to her.  Her soft lips stopped next to his ears, gently allowing the words to pass over them “I’m not wearing any underwear”

She felt his torso stiffen against her, as he spluttered a cough.

She smiled as she leant herself against the back of the elevator cab.

She could see him struggling with the news she had just told him, he eyes were searching her, a glimpse of the needy Oliver was peeking through.

“I, I” he stammered “You need to rest” he blurted taking a step back to put distance between then.

 

The news she was without a stitch of undergarments under that form fitting dress was making his arousal very prominent.  His eyes lingered on her chest, not a strap in sight.  His eyes followed the line of the zipper, stopping at her naval, the thoughts were driving him wild.  But he had not come to terms with the memory of carrying her broken and bleeding body, seeing her eyes droop closed and feeling her faint breath against his neck as she came in and out of consciousness.  He had not reconciled feeling like he had lost her so soon after finding her.  She had been vulnerable, battered and broken and he couldn’t lay more than a gentle touch on her because of it, despite his desire to the contrary.

 

Felicity sighed loudly.  _Enough was enough._

She pushed the emergency stop button, halting the elevator somewhere between the 5th and 7th floor.  Oliver went to say something, but a finger over his lips shushed him.

“O-li-ver” she breathed, drawing out each syllable “I’m telling you what I want” she spoke as she unfastened his belt, her hands purposely skating across his bulge as she slowly eased the fly down.

“So why don’t you decide” she paused, smoothly pulling the zip on her dress down to her navel,  exposing the centre of her chest and glimpses of her breasts either side – as promised without any other covering “what it is that you want”

She bit her lip and arched an eyebrow waiting for his decision.

 

He felt the blood racing to his member, his mind daring him to touch her, pushing him closer to the brink of her.  He needed her and there was not a single part of his body that now disagreed.

His lips delved onto hers in a heated rush of passion as they fell back together roughly against the wall of the cab.  His hands went straight for her chest, cupping her breast with a ferocity that she had been missing.

His mouth moved down to her neck, his lips warm and wet against her skin.  His breath panting as her hands grasped at his tightening briefs, her own mouth skating along his jawline.

 

One hand drove up behind her head, his fingers lacing through her flouncing hair, gently tugging her head so her lips met back with his, their tongues dancing across each other.

He had her breast in his hand, his forefinger and thumb teasing her nipple between them.  She breathed heavily as he pinched them together, the sensation sending her body arching into him.  Her mouth sucked his bottom lip as she folded out his now fully erect member and ran her hands over the shaft, quickening his breath.

 

They had only a little time.

He lifted her into the air and pushed her against the side of the cab, his hand grappling with her soft unclothed thighs, skating their ways upwards, holding her above him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, her vice grip pulling him closer, their bodies now rubbing against each other in primal anticipation.

The elevator churned back into life, but the jolt was not enough to part them, instead forcing them to quicken the pace.

He entered her fully, sending a gasp spilling from her lips.  She gripped at his shoulders as he filled her.  Fast.  Needy.  Desperate.

Her back against the wall.  His hands squeezing her waist under her dress, pulling her into him and pushing himself deeper into her.

His index finger found its way to the dimple at the small of her back as the elevator began moving upwards.

They kissed again, her elbows slipping against his shoulders, her hands running up the back of his neck and head

 

He thrust faster.

_Level 12_

In, out, desperate for satisfaction.

_Level 18_

She breathed his name in his ear as his head feel against her neck.

_Level 24_

He was almost there.  Their breaths were hot and fast against each other.

_Level 28_

She called his name louder this time, her own peak almost reached.

_Level 34_

Level 34 was the pinnacle, she felt him erupt inside her and he felt her on him shortly after.

At level 36 they broke apart, breathless and dishevelled.  He kissed her lips passionately as he zipped up her dress and tucked her hair behind her ear.

 

At level 38 she smiled folding his now spent member back behind his briefs and slowly closing the fly on his suit pants.

She straightened his tie and wiped off what she could of the pink lipstick on the side of his face.

 

At level 40 the doors opened, their hands gingerly folding together.  As they went to step out, Oliver looked up and was met with the face of Moira Queen.

He looked down at Felicity only a hairs breath behind him, and smiled.  Her hair was a mess, her lipstick was smudged and she was trying to walk with her legs firmly together.

She smirked back up at him, his tie was still askew, his shirt half tucked in and his belt undone.  It was fairly apparent what they had been doing.

 

Moira’s expression remained blank.

“Oliver, Ms Smoak, nice of you to grace us with your presence” she spoke, her tone matching her icy stare.

“Felicity and I were just discussing the health benefits of cupcakes” Oliver smiled, biting the inside of his lip to stop the laughter spilling forth.

Felicity’s eyes widened, firstly because he remembered, and secondly because he just said that to his mother.  She buried her face in his shoulder blade very aware she was probably blushing a bright shade of red.

Without another word Oliver strode away, his hand still holding Felicity’s as she scurried along behind him, her face still partially buried in his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spell it colour - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;)
> 
> A big special thanks goes out to Tavia - my wonderful idea bouncer. You're awesome.
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.  
> 


	4. Antecedent

Tommy searched through the items that had been left for him as Ra’s promised.  He had come to realise that Ra’s would only allow a person to know as much as he determined was necessary.  Had Tommy had this information earlier in the piece he wouldn’t have had to turn over quite so many rocks – but he knew there was a method to every action the League made.  Ra’s had made he do things to make Tommy’s resolution strong and his loyalties obvious.

 

He picked up a picture he had come to know well, a duplicate the picture his father had kept in the safe, but there was writing on the back of this one.  A note, a name:

_Felicity Smoak_

_28.02.1989_

_1256 West Palm Drive_

_Las Vegas_

His eyes were glued to the information.  How much easier would things have been if this was the version his father had left for him? – He could almost feel his eyes rolling.

But something about the writing – it was not his father’s handwriting.  He would know that script anywhere.  No, this was printed, precise, capitals – familiar to Tommy, but why?

He looked deeper into the box, there were more photos.  Photos of her at a distance by a pool he would know without a second look – it was at Oliver’s house and the photo appeared to be lifted from a security camera still.

 

A note was buried deeper:

_Malcolm,_

_She’ll give you what you need._

_I expect this concludes our business._

_-RQ_

* * *

 

**May 2009**

“That’s not really my problem is it Merlyn?” Robert sighed down the phone line, his hand running across the creases of his weathered brow

The two were once friends, but now cautiously cordial, only too aware that one would – and had – turn on the other in a heartbeat if it served a purpose.

“We had a deal” Malcolm replied his tone eerily calm

“I intend to keep my end.  The site will be neutral, I will send Oliver and the League should send someone of equal standing.  The information you seek will be in the envelope and you will deliver the plant”

 

“What could you and your in-laws want with a poisonous plant Robert?” Malcolm chuckled

“I could ask the same of what the League wants with a college student and an unfinished code”

 

The silence hung thick before Malcolm finally spoke up.

“Paris, 2 days”

“Done” Robert agreed, fully aware that he was virtually signing a young girl’s death warrant.

It would have bothered him once upon a time, but this life had changed him.  The Family had changed him and now all that was important was to ensure they got what they needed.

The phone call ended and Robert stuck the photos and the note into the brown envelope and stepped away from his desk.

* * *

 

“So she just wasn’t there?” Thea asked, her eyes searching over Oliver’s as he gazed at a picture in his hand.

“Nope” he replied emotionlessly “she just wasn’t there”

Thea absently swapped her feet, tucking the left one up under herself now, her lips pursing, trying to concoct some explanation.

“Maybe she’s just left for a semester?” – it was the best she could come up with.

 

Truth was it didn’t make sense.  Felicity hardly seemed like the type of person who would take off on a whim.  Granted Thea had only really known her for what would seem a short time, but the Felicity that was eager to help her, stayed by her side in the hospital and phoned her almost every night just to see how she was – that Felicity wasn’t the type of person who would just up and leave something so important to her.  Felicity had always found a way to tell Thea that an education was important, that you didn’t have to be physically strong to be _strong_ – that more often than not battles in life are won by brains willing to think outside the box over brawns just wanting to punch something. 

 

Thea could tell Oliver was pained.  He had sat on his bed staring at the picture in his hands for a time period longer than any okay person would.  He barely left his room in the week he had been back, he never joined them for dinner and he asked her to call his phone at least 2 times an hour to make sure it was still working.

“Or maybe –“ Thea started

Oliver looked up from the photo, peering at his sister with void eyes “Just drop it, the reason is simple, she just moved on” he put the photo face side down on his bedside table, recalling the words in her email and willing himself to try and feel the same way – _it was just a fling, move on._

 

Thea sighed as she stood up off the bed.  She was too young then to know what to say to a person with a damaged heart so, without thinking she leant in, wrapping her slender arms around his broad shoulders and squeezing as best she could.

 _It’ll be okay_ was what she was trying to say.

She released him from her grip.  He winked ever-so-slightly, thanking her for the attempt.

Barefoot and feeling like she hadn’t been much help she walked from his room, throwing him a soft smile as she closed the door.

 

Oliver’s fingers danced over the edge of the photo.

_Move on_

He laughed at his own state – he was pathetic, pining for a girl who didn’t want him – to what end?  He couldn’t win her back.  You can’t force someone to love you.

 

He took the photo into his hands once again, both forefingers and thumbs poised at opposite ends.  He gave it one last look – Felicity was smiling up at him, her blue eyes gazing back at him, her hand outstretched beckoning him to follow her.  He had taken the photo himself, she had wanted to walk the grounds of the mansion, so they had.  He had shown her the large fallen tree that was now just a hollowed out log, where as a boy he had gone to stare at the clouds when the private school tuition, the archery lessons, the fencing and karate lessons and his father’s constant pushing for him to do better at all of that – became too much.

She had smiled at him, stroked his cheek and kissed him where her thumb lay on the side of his face.  He had kissed her back, slowly, melting into her soft lips, drinking in the moment where nothing in the world mattered, before they sat together on the log and stared at the clouds.

The memory was distant now – not too far gone, but Oliver was willing it deeper into his mind.  It hurt to recall it, it would be better forgotten.

His fingers were still poised in their relative positions.  The photo felt so fragile in his hands.  It barely took any effort.  He ripped it down the centre, folded the pieces together and ripped it again, repeating the action until all that was left were tiny scraps of a memory he wanted to forget.

As he cast the scraps into the trash there was a knock on the bedroom door, followed by his father walking in holding an envelope.

 

“I’ll need you on a plane to Paris in the morning, there is a business meeting I need you to attend on my behalf” Robert spoke plainly – Oliver knew it was not the type of request he could turn down.

 

 _I’ll take you to Paris_.

* * *

**Present Day**

“I can’t believe you just said to your mother” Felicity giggled like someone half her age as she slipped into the office behind Oliver.

“I remember” he smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and sweeping her into an embrace “You called our daughter Amelie, even after everything, you still did” his eyelids softened as he drew her chin up with a tender hand.

“I don’t know why I didn’t tell you” she stammered, almost embarrassed, the truth was deep down she wasn’t sure what he remembered about their time together.  Had moments that she had cherished in her heart become only forgettable rendezvous to him?  If she spoke about them would it make it better or worse?

As if reading her mind he spoke up “I remember pieces of memories, as though I’m reliving them.  But I want to remember everything about our time together, please, if you have any moments, share them with me, okay?” his voice was calm, tender, affectionate and it drew her even closer into his arms.

 

She nodded as she lay her head on his hard chest, listening to the soft bellow of his breath.

Remembering why they were there in the first place, she broke away from Oliver with a soft murmur.

“I have to go find the thing” she smiled pointing her thumb back towards the door and nodding her head in the same direction.

“You want me to come?” he smiled walking his fingers up her spine.

“I think you already did that” she grinned, biting her lip softly before opening the door “I’ll be back soon”

 

After stopping at the bathroom and thankfully avoiding any secondary run-in with Moira, Felicity walked the halls of the 40th floor looking for an office where she just might find what she was looking for.

_Room 405_

She knocked before slipping around the corner of the open doorway.

 

A petite blond looked up from the desk and was instantly recognisable to Felicity.

“Sara?” Felicity piped up, she looked a little different, but 5 years had done little to stifle the recognition

Sara looked up, unsure exactly who exactly she was looking at.

Felicity realised by the look on Sara’s face that _she_ probably did look quite different, gone was the dark hair and the even darker clothing and combat boots, replaced with a dress and not very sensible heels.

 

“Felicity Sm-“ Felicity started, hoping the awkwardness of the meeting would finish once Sara finally recognised her

“Smoak” Sara finished, standing from the desk “wow, you look” she paused, looking for a word “different” she finally settled on

“Uh, thank you?” Felicity grinned cocking her head to the side

“I just mean” Sara stumbled with her words “you look great, just different”

 

Felicity laughed placing a hand on Sara’s shoulder “it’s okay.  What are you doing here?  In this office?”

“I’m just on loan from the Moscow branch, I came back for Laurel’s, uh” she paused, emotion filling her face

“I’m so sorry Sara” Felicity breathed, that detail had slipped her mind and she felt awful for it

“Anyway, they asked if I could come and look at a couple of things here while I was in town, I don’t know why they didn’t just ask you, you were always heads above me”

 

Felicity and Sara had interned over the same March break.  Sara had already graduated MIT almost 2 years prior.  Sara was smart, but her grades had dropped and she didn’t do more than just barely graduate.  She had told Felicity during their time together that she had lost herself in some bad company and that she was now working towards something better.

“Where did you go?” Sara piped up, then lowered her eyes, perhaps realising it was a pretty loaded question

Felicity knew exactly what she meant.  They had both been offered jobs, Sara was to start almost immediately in the intern programme and Felicity once she graduated.  Felicity had not given much thought over to the years to the people that might have noticed her absence – she always felt that she had never made much of an impact on any one to the point they might miss her.

 

Felicity’s brain toyed with many different stories – looking for the best version of the truth that would cut out all the mess.

“I just needed a change, I went away, worked a bunch of different places” Felicity smiled, it was weak, but it was the best she had on the fly.

“They offered you a job here now?” Sara questioned, flicking her finger across her nose in some sort of habitual action that Felicity couldn’t help but notice

Felicity’s head flip-flopped to either side “Sort of.  Oliver and I are” _what was the word?_ “together” he voice inflicting up like she was asking a question.

“Oh” Sara didn’t seem surprised “I’m happy for you, you guys always seemed a good match” Sara caught her words a frown flashing across her face for just a second “I know Laurel is – was – my sister, but I never thought those two were very good for each other” she shrugged, the truth in her words perhaps providing a small sting imaging what Laurel would have said to such a comment.

 

Felicity’s lips coiled up into a quick but soft smile.  It was an awkward situation.

“Thank you” she replied, the best way she could acknowledge Sara’s words

“I should get going” Sara stood, placing a black rucksack over her shoulder

Felicity smiled as she let her pass through the doorway.  In a moment she gave little thought to, she placed a hand on Sara’s shoulder, stopping her.

“If you ever need to talk, or you just want to grab a drink, let me know” Felicity smiled, her usual guard dropped slightly for a person she remembered fondly.

Sara smiled in kind and nodded “thanks, that would be nice” before continuing down the hall, adjusting the bag on her shoulder somewhat nervously.

 

Felicity stepped into the room and found what she was looking for within minutes.  She gripped the seemingly insignificant piece of tech in her hands and prayed to whoever might be listening that it worked – that they would find Thea.

* * *

  

Sara handed the address to the taxi driver then settled back down into her seat.  He skin felt like there was something crawling underneath it.  It had been, what, 5 days?  She was itchy literally everywhere – even her earlobes sung out in hunger for the drug.

She picked the nail of her little finger on the right – it was her go to distraction and it showed, it was red raw, but she picked at it regardless.  It was the only finger she barely used in her job so it was the one that suffered the most.

He hadn’t told her Felicity would be at QC – but then, she was often told only the bare minimum – reminding her frequently that she was expendable, a fact she had come to believe.

Still, it had been nice to see a familiar face that didn’t want something from her.  Felicity had always been kind to her – she had always felt a sense of ease conversing with her.

 

**March 2009**

“Felicity Smoak” a hand extended towards Sara

Sara smiled as she took it “Sara Lance”

 

Felicity was unable to mask a purse of her lips and a slight brow raise at the name.

“Is Lance a particularly popular name in Starling, or is Laurel Lance your sister?”

“The latter” Sara smiled

Felicity noted her eyes were much kinder than Laurel’s had been on their first meeting

“I’m guessing that makes you ‘boots’” Sara laughed pointing a pen down towards Felicity’s chosen footwear

“Your sister really hates my shoes” Felicity laughed with a shrug

“I would say she’s just jealous.  They’re great boots” Sara winked

 

**Present Day**

 

Sara smiled recalling the memory, it had been a short but good experience – a last respite until she was cast into a world that she didn’t know how to escape from.

The taxi pulled on to the long gravel drive and stopped in front of the empty house.

Sara thanked the driver, paid the fare and stepped out of the taxi.

She looked up at the large house that Tommy had called home on his return to Starling.  She sighed, adjusting the bag over her shoulder.  It was time to get to work and see what she could find lurking in his network.

Her orders were simple – look and retrieve.  The powers that controlled her wanted any information they could lay their hands on.

* * *

  **May 2009**

Oliver adjusted his tie in the reflection of the elevator doors.  He had landed in Paris yesterday, spent the evening buried under a mountain of room service and mini bar bottles.  He had no interest in seeing the sites of the _City of Love_. 

His hotel room had a beautiful uninterrupted view of the Eifel Tower in the distance, but he had closed the curtains to it and started in on whatever alcohol he could lay his hands on.

No, he had no interest in Paris.  As soon as this meeting was over he would be on the next flight out.

With the brown envelope tucked under his arm, he thought for a second about opening it.  The moment passed, truth was he had no interest in what was in there – perhaps if he had things may have turned out different for him – for them all.

 

Instead, when the doors opened in the lobby he made his way over to the lounge and asked the maître d for the name he had been practicing “Ms Raatko?”

The host nodded and gestured for Oliver to follow him.  They stopped beside a table where a particularly breath-taking brunette was seated.  Her hair was long, curled to frame her face.  Her dark eyes flicked up to meet with Oliver’s.  Her lips parted slightly as she acknowledged his presence with a nod.

Oliver sat down at the table as the host stepped away.

“Oliver Queen” Oliver instinctively charmed extending his hand across the table

“Nyssa Raatko” she responded, her manicured hand coming to rest in the grip on his own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, always wanting to hear your thoughts.  
> 


	5. Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay in getting this out, I had to get something else out of my mind before I focused on this *cough*itwashoneytrash*cough*.

  
**May 2009**

Oliver awoke to the light streaming in through the gap in the curtains. His head was pounding. He tried to remember how much he had drunk last night, but he couldn’t remember much after the absinthe shots.

He rubbed his thumbs deep into his eyes and focused on the clock beside the bed. It was 1:30pm. Shit, he had missed his flight. He should have cared a little more, but there wasn’t much to look forward to on his return.

He rolled over, now astutely aware he was naked. Naked and hungover, it reminded him of college – college reminded him of her. It was a vicious circle he’d found himself at the start of again.

Finally Oliver noticed the sprawl of dark hair on the pillow beside him. His first thought was of Felicity, had he rung her in his drunken stupor, had she finally answered the phone? Had she flown to Paris to be with him? As the female body lying under the covers moved, the sheet fell away from her back, revealing a tattoo that looked to be of a fork tongued serpent.

That was not Felicity – a fact which became even more abundantly clear when she rolled over to face him, cupping the sheet to her chest.

“Good morning Oliver” Nyssa spoke, still devoid of much emotion.  
She slid out from the bed, not a scrap of clothing on her. She stood at the side of the bed and lightly tousled her hair. She was completely exposed to him and it was clear she was built like a swimsuit model. Oliver of a year ago would have cheered him on, charmed his way towards a second round, but all this Oliver could think was _she’s not Felicity._

* * *

**Present Day**

Felicity tapped furiously away at the keyboard, despite her every hope to the contrary she got very little recoverable data from the tablet. There were a few digits, perhaps part of a routed IP, but it was incomplete and left her with more hay than needles.

She jumped in her chair as the door to the office swung open. Her wide-eyed stare was met with an equally surprised one from an older gentleman in a navy pair of overalls with a vacuum strapped to his back.  
They were locked in a silent game of blink and you lose, till finally Felicity spoke up.  
“You don’t need to clean in here, it’s fine”  
He looked at her, then at the desk which was now covered in virtually every item from the vending machines downstairs, all of which had come to form a wall around her encampment of equipment.  
He didn’t look like he trusted her assurance.  
“Really, it’s fine” she cooed as one of the alerts she’d set up beeped loudly.  
He backed away out of the room, almost like she was a terrifying figment of his imagination.

She looked over at the alert, the sequence of numbers had picked up a range of things, passport numbers, social security numbers and coordinates. The first two didn’t seem logical, but maybe, just maybe that last one....coordinates.

She entered the search parameters and let the tech do the rest, maybe it would find something, anything that would get them closer to finding Thea.

She chugged down another dastardly concoction of sugar and caffeine from a shiny tin can with the words _buzz_ and _high_ on it just as the phone buried under chip packets started ringing.

She punched the speaker button with the pencil she had been using like a bit in a horse's mouth.  
“Go” she exclaimed, suddenly aware that her heart beat was raised _maybe less sugar and caffeine_  
“Felicity, are you coming home any time soon?” it was Oliver  
He had left only minutes ago – or so she thought – to take Amelie to her riding lessons.  
“Ah, I’ll be home around 6” she replied, tapping her heel against the foot of the chair for no reason other than her foot felt like moving  
“It’s already 8, so unless you’re thinking up time machine” he laughed, which led her to wonder how often he laughed at his own jokes – definitely less sugar and caffeine.  
“I’m going to stay a little longer, you and Amelie will be fine”  
He hadn’t mentioned it, but she was aware this would be the first time he had sole responsibility over her at night. When Felicity was in the hospital Amelie had stayed with Rosa and Lyla as Oliver stayed close to Felicity’s side.

“What do I feed her?” he spoke quietly into the phone.  
Felicity roared with laughter, probably also due to the copious amounts of sugar and caffeine she’d ingested, but also due in part to how terrified he sounded.  
“Whatever she wants for dinner, just don’t feed her after 9, she’ll turn into a gremlin” now she was the one laughing at her own jokes.

The alert beeped loudly, all coordinates numbers that correlated with the numbers she had found had finished compiling.  
“You’ll do great, make smart choices, love you bye”  
She had pushed end before she had meant to, but the list in front of her was the closest she had gotten and she was eager for something to come of it.

* * *

  
Oliver hung up the phone, Amelie looked at him with a grin he had no idea the reason for. She raised an eyebrow, chuckled to herself and then went back to colouring. He was verging on terrified at the two girls in his lives and the looks they were fond of giving him.

“Should we get pizza?” he questioned, leaning his elbows on the counter in front of him  
She didn’t look up, just shook her head.  
“Burgers?”  
Another head shake.  
“Any ideas?”  
She gently placed the blue crayon down and looked up from her picture.  
“What can you make?” she questioned with a tone that led him to believe she had watched too many episodes of Master Chef.

He’d never really had to cook before, so to say his repertoire was limited was an understatement.  
“Pretty much just pancakes” he shrugged, remembering the mornings of his youth where he would help Raisa make them.  
“Yes, okay” Amelie said, nodding her approval “I’ll have 5 please”  
“If it’s 5 you want, you’ll need to help me” Oliver smiled peering over the picture Amelie had returned to colour.

She smiled, turning the picture and pushing it across the counter.  
“It’s my family. That’s you” she grinned pointing to the taller stick figure that had blue eyes.  
“Mommy” she continued pointing at the figure with a purple skirt and glasses “and that’s me” she nodded to a figure with a crown atop her head  
“So who’s this?” Oliver questioned gesturing towards a fourth, smaller figure  
“That’s my baby brother” she announced slipping off the barstool where she had perched herself

Oliver, taken aback, was lost for words.  
“You have a brother?”  
Amelie chuckled to herself “No silly, not yet” she shook her head jovially, completely unaware in her childlike innocence what she had inferred, but Oliver heard it, and the idea didn’t scare him as much as it once would have.  
“Pancakes now please?” Amelie tugged at the hem of his shirt  
“Yes, pancakes” he replied – _and another baby, one he would be there for from the beginning_

* * *

  
“What did you expect dear?” Robert heaved a sigh as his eyes merely glanced up from the paper work on his desk “You know the initiation rules, Oliver is a blood member, he should be an _Avtoritet_ , no amount of deals was going to change that”

“He doesn’t need that world” Moira paced the office, unusually unnerved, a straight drink in her hand.  
“It was a fine world for you to grow up in” Robert shrugged, almost amused at his wife’s unnerving.  
“I just thought he would have more time”  
“You tried that remember, when he was 14, you insisted that he be a man first”

Moira didn’t need reminding of that meeting. She had gone to the Pakhan and used every ounce of favour her lineage bought her. She requested that Oliver not be taken until he was a man. For them this meant until he wed, or had his first child.

She had done well to stay his induction, but she had known – call it mother’s intuition – the moment she saw her son’s eyes light up when he spoke of a young MIT student named Felicity Smoak that she would need to step in once again.

“You should have told me you knew the girl was pregnant. Things could her been done about it then” Robert renounced with a casual and cold demeanour.

Moira had done many a thing she was not proud of, but she had kept the pregnancy from not only Oliver but also Robert, knowing the brutal solution he would have offered, and that was a path she could not go down. By the time he knew – when Felicity showed up with a baby in tow that cold wet night all those years ago – the child was born, the child of Bratva blood and there was a honour code for blood.

She couldn’t shelter her son anymore. They would come for him soon, him and his kin. This was something she knew first hand, after all she too was blood.

* * *

  
Sara wasn’t exactly sure what she was looking at in the office back at QC. She had found something on Tommy’s network. Something that might work. Something she could reconstruct and alter.

She made a call in Russian that lasted no longer than a minute.  
_It was possible_  
She sent a text on a second phone.  
_It was possible_

That was all the chance she needed. The possibility.

* * *

  
“You said you wanted five of them” Oliver chuckled as Amelie held her stomach and groaned dramatically  
“I’m just a kid, I don’t know what I want” she moaned, now lying star-fished on the floor  
That sounded exactly like something Felicity would have said and that drew a broad smile across his face.

Amelie patted the floor beside her, motioning for Oliver to join her. He sat down next to her, he knees bent, his ankles crossed and his arms holding it all together.

“Will mommy be home soon?” Amelie yawned  
“I’m not sure, she’s working really hard” Oliver smiled down  
He watched as her eyes fluttered from open to closed.  
“I have to stay awake till she gets home” her tiny voice began to trail off

* * *

  
It was verging on 10pm when Felicity finally had something she could work with. She filed the list into her bag, there was nothing else she could do here.

She was about to log out of the network when something caught her attention in the Applied Sciences stock take record just before it was handed over to Oliver. Felicity had a memory she couldn’t always explain, but there was something on that list that wasn’t on the list when she had searched the database at home.

 _Trojan_ had two meanings to her, the story of the siege of Troy and a malicious computer program. Whatever it was, it had been removed from Applied Sciences before Oliver took over. She searched the QC network for any sign of it. Hidden under three different layers of sub categories that made no sense, she found one other reference.

“Curiouser and curiouser” she muttered, quoting Alice.  
She double clicked the file and was met with an encryption she couldn’t hack her way through. It required a thumb print, she highly doubted hers would work, but shrugging she tried it anyway.

 _Not authorised_  flashed in the screen, not in the least bit a surprise to Felicity.  
“Another day” she sighed, scribbling down a quick note on a notebook from the top drawer. She checked the clock again, it was time to leave.

* * *

  
Felicity quietly closed the apartment door, but regardless of her gentle touch the sound echoed through the expansive white-everything foyer. She sighed to herself, this place was great but it screamed bachelor pad, not family home.

She peeled off the black coat she was wearing and hung it up. Slipping her black heels off she scooped them up into her hands and carried them towards the flickering light coming from the living room.

She found Oliver on the couch watching cartoons, Amelie fast asleep next to him, her head laying on his lap, a grey blanket pulled up under her chin.  
“Hey” he whispered, muting the TV “she wanted to stay awake to say goodnight, but she fell asleep about an hour ago”  
Felicity watched his hand instinctively running through Amelie’s blond hair. She was still amazed at how all in he was. It was equal parts comforting and terrifying to her.

Felicity knelt down in front of Oliver’s knees and kissed Amelie gently on the forehead “night Melie” she whispered  
Amelie breathed deeply and with her eyes still closed she softly whispered back “night mommy, night daddy”

* * *

  
Felicity balanced the laptop on her knees as she tugged the blanket closer around her shoulders, the cold night air lightly whisking over her. She had told Oliver about the data she had managed to recover, her thinking that it may be coordinates and the list she had narrowed down.

Oliver took up residence on the chair next to her after carrying Amelie to bed.

Felicity noticed he looked like he was barely holding himself together. She folded the laptop closed and placed her hands on his knees.  
“I don’t feel like I’m doing enough to find Thea” he sighed his head dropping to his cupped hands  
She rubbed his leg gently “Oliver we’re doing all we can”  
“I don’t understand why he’s holding her, what does he want?” he stood up, pacing a small circle, his hand coursing through his hair.  
Felicity didn’t have any answers for him, so she did what felt the most natural and wrapped her arms tightly around him and squeezed.  
His body caved into hers, a balled up wave of emotion finally spilling free. He had kept so much of it tightly locked inside of him till he could fit no more.

His heart was heavy with guilt, fear, rage and betrayal – four things he had spent much of his life unaffected by, until now when each one of those things had brutally left it’s mark.

His tears were wet against her shoulder, her small frame barely able to hold up his much larger one. He was broken.

She took his hand, rubbed it slowly between her palms then kissed in tenderly. Taking his hand she led him inside, across the bedroom and into the bathroom.

Felicity turned on the taps in the oversized bath and threw in a small rose-scented bath bomb, the sound of the running water echoing through the ensuite.  
“You probably don’t remember this, but you once told me your future house would have to have a bath” she spoke softly her hands skating up and down his arms.  
“I did?” I was another conversation he didn’t recall  
“We were in the pool after dinner, you had your arms around me like this” she took his arms and gently guided them over her shoulders “and I had mine like this” one after the other she put her soft hands between his neck and his cheeks “and you told me that you wanted to make love in a bath full of bubbles. I promised you if you were still around in 6 months I would make that happen” she braced herself against him, gently kissing his lips her eyes intently watching his “that time was taken from us back then” she pushed herself up, her mouth dancing kisses up his face, collecting the remnants of his tears, before stopping beside his ear and breathing softly “but we have tonight”

She stepped back, folding up her glasses and placing them on the vanity. She stripped off the sweatpants she had changed into after arriving home and kicked them to the side. Taking his hands into her own, she looked up at him.  
“If you want to, the offer is –“  
Before she could finish he had his lips on hers, his mouth eagerly devouring her, it was slower and softer than the rendezvous in the elevator that morning, but it was equally as desperate and equally as passionate.

She pulled the t-shirt away from is body her hands tracing the ridges and groves of his defined chest. The air grew steamy between them as Felicity caught a glimpse of the almost overflowing bath with its pink bubbles mounded on top.

She pulled away from the embrace to stop the water and when she turned back around a very naked Oliver was standing in front of her.  
“That’s a yes then?” she smiled coyly as she took a hand full of bubbles and placed it over his penis.  
“It will always be a yes to you” he managed a smiled taking a step towards her his hands slipping underneath the hem of her t-shirt.

He pulled it up over her head and was met with the pleasant surprise that she hadn’t been wearing a bra. He smiled his approval as his eyes lingered across her body. She led him to the bathtub and gestured for him to get in first.

He stepped in, the silky warm water felt like a heaven sent release for a weary soul. He eased his body under the water, the temperature change sending a tingling sensation rafting up his extremities. He propped himself against a curved end, his feet barely touching the other end – thanks entirely due to the extra long tub that had been installed.

Felicity discarded her last item of clothing, the boyleg cut navy striped panties which she had put on in the bathroom at QC earlier in the day after their elevator “dealings”.

She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and secured it there before she slipped into the water, sliding her body slowly up his.

His hands settled around her slim waist, the bubbles hiding both their bodies from their eyes. She straddled him, the buoyancy of the water almost making her hover just above him, his hands guiding her back down.

Slowly she kissed his neck, the sound of him moving in the water below her like a sweet slow ballad playing in the distance. He stared at her, the chandelier above them bathing her in a light that reflected off the droplets of water on her supple skin.

Felicity sat up, her body resting against his legs that had bent up at the knees behind her. Her breasts barely breached the surface of the water, puffs of pink and white bubbles littering her shoulders and arms. She combed her fingers through his hairline across his ears, resting them at the back of his neck.  
“It will be okay” she smiled, the only four words he needed to hear from the person he most trusted.

Oliver beckoned her back down to him, his lips eager for hers. Softly he drew her closer until their lips melded together, their warm, soapy bodies sliding against each other with satiny ease.

Their kisses alternated between the soft, drawn out breathy ones to the deep, engrossed ones that were peppered with breathless pants and hurried moans, as they allowed their hands the freedom to roam across their naked, wet bodies.

Her hands chose his shoulders, strong and comforting to her. To her his broad shoulders gave her safety, she could trust him – he could carry her, he could protect what she held most precious. Those shoulders represented a safe place to land and her hands instinctively moved towards them, eager to touch them, to massage them, to feel their strength.

His hands chose to run the length of her back, across the scars she detested, but no longer flinched at when he touched them. To him they represented a strength in her, a willpower to fight for something worth fighting for. She had chosen to be with him, he found comfort knowing that even in times of turmoil she would have the resolve to stand by her choices no matter the cost. She chose him, she would stand by him.

In that moment neither Felicity or Oliver could truly appreciate how those qualities would be strained. Soon his strength and her resolve would be tested to breaking point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.  
> 


	6. Choice

His body rose in the water as she floated above him, the water lapped against them as he pulled her closer with a force that sent water splashing over onto the slated bathroom floor. Their slow burn had started to ignite as she hovered a kiss above his lips, teasing his bottom lip with her tongue.

She could feel him hard between her legs as he held her tight against his chest, longing for her continued presence. His hands scooted up the curve of her thighs, desperate it seemed to touch every part of her. Balancing her hands on the rim either side of him, she slid down his body, her inner thigh gently pulling across his erection.

She caught his unabashed moan in her mouth and for the second time today she realised the spark between them lit all those years ago had not been put out, but rather embers burned under ash until a match was thrown in and the fire burst to life.

Without words she was teasing him between her soft, soapy thighs and he was begging for more with his desperate touches. He pulled her down again, repeating the waterfall over the side of the tub, this time she arched her pelvis back, guiding him towards her.

She gently eased him in, holding just the tip inside as she teased him against the motion of the water around them. His hands found their home on her ass as she lowered herself down, his member exploring deeper. His moans filled the thick air as she moved her body atop him, back and forth, up and down, each unique movement sending him closer to the peak.

She needed nothing from him, the look of complete euphoria on his face as she kissed his shoulder and suckled at his neck was all the satisfaction she needed. This morning was about her needing to feel desired by him but tonight was about him needing to feel loved by her.

He gripped tighter on her as his breath deepened and his eyes blinked rapidly. She moved faster against him, the water passing around them turning like waves in a storm-touched ocean. She kissed his lips again, his mouth parting against hers, his breath faster still as she rose and fell above him, twisting her pelvis in a direction to tighten her around him.

He bit on his lip his eyes shooting open, his head dropping back against the lip of the bath. Even with the water encasing them she felt his release inside her. Her rhythm slowed, etching out each moment he stayed within her. He kissed her gently on the neck, his sighs heavy against her wet skin.

The water was tepid now, the fluffy bubbles almost all gone in the turbulence of the water as they broke apart. She turned with her back to his chest and his arms folded over her as he nuzzled into her neck.

Reaching a hand behind her she gently tousled his hair with just the scent of roses filling the air.

He sighed contentedly, then uttered words he never meant to, but the moment had made him feel them “I want to have another baby with you”  
“Mmmm” she replied before she had let the words sink in.

It took at least 5 seconds for her head to register what her ears had heard.  
“I’m sorry what?” she stammered, pushing herself through the water away from him.  
It took him the same amount of time to register what he had just said.  
“I’m mean not now, but maybe soon?” – would that be so bad, once they found Thea their world would be okay, it was a naive thought, but he wasn’t aware of that then.

An expression of worry drew across her face.  
“Oliver, I’m not sure I want any more kids” it was the first time she had admitted that to herself  
As he stared at the expression on her face he realised not only had he caught her off guard, but he had caught her honest reaction.  
“I love Amelie with all my heart, but children complicate things, I don’t think I can do that again”

The truth was she had been alone through it all last time and she couldn’t bear the thought of history repeating itself. It had almost broken her. She had made a hundred decisions back then that almost exacted a permanent price from her. The thought of going through but a portion of that was more of a risk than she was willing to face.

“I’m sorry, it was something said in a moment, that’s all, please” he gestured her back towards him. Wearily Felicity complied, his strong arms holding her tightly once more.  
But she had seen the heartbreak on his face the moment she had spoken and it was vivid, it was real.

* * *

  
Felicity had barely folded herself into the chair behind the desk on the 40th floor and Oliver had only just taken his first sip of the coffee from the barista downstairs when the door to the office they once again found themselves in, flung open.

“Oliver we need to talk” Moira spoke, her voice clear, but her tone not her usual calm one  
Oliver stood, his back to her, his eyes wandering across the cityscape. Felicity shuffled papers across the desk, holding her tongue with every ounce of decorum she could muster – despite what she wanted to say, she didn’t – and she wouldn’t – force Oliver to be in between the two sides.

“Oliver, it’s important, I need to talk to you” she repeated her request, she was losing the clearness in her voice – it was just a flicker, but Oliver could tell she was unnerved and frankly, the thought that something had rattled Moira Queen almost made him smile.

He finally turned his head over his shoulder, his body still positioned back to her in front of the window.  
“I don’t think there is much we need to talk about” he retorted coyly

Felicity hovered her fingers over the keyboard, eager to start it up, but unwilling to make noise in the room that was filled with tension.

She watched as Moira’s shoulders slump forward – she was dropping her usual stiff stance – _but why?_

“I have done things wrong to you” she paused and then for what Felicity was felt like the first time ever she looked at her without any judgment in her eyes “to both of you. I don’t expect you to understand or like my reasons, but I was not without them”

“You always claim you had reasons” Oliver was angry now “but your reasons are always selfish and only ever for the benefit of what you think is important” his body twisted, now facing his mother.

Felicity could see his fist clenching and if she were closer she was sure she would see his temple pulsing.

“You took 5 years from me, you took 5 years of me knowing my daughter. You took that from me” his voice was tinged with a ferocity Felicity had not heard before “for what? For your reasons, your _fucking_ reasons”

Felicity’s eyes widened, she had heard that – in fact she was pretty certain everyone in the surrounding offices had heard that.

He was still going “So don’t stand here and insult me with your reasons. There is _no_ reason why a _real_ mother would take her son’s only child and keep them apart. There is NO reason why a REAL mother would ruin the life of a girl that did nothing wrong but dare to love a boy that didn’t deserve her love”

“Oliver – I” Moira started, her face peppered with both shock and despair – it was likely she had also never seen her son this way.

“No” Oliver shook his head strongly “You took the best part of our lives then and there is no reason why you should be anywhere near our lives now” what his voice dropped in volume it made up for in depth – it was cold and unwavering.

Moira sighed, a life time of decisions had come down to this – she had lost her son, but still there was something he had to know.  
“You will be approached by men representing Mikhail Slokavich, he was an association of your grandfather and he is a Sovietnik in the SoIntsevskaya Brotherhood, the largest syndicate of the Russian Mafia. It would be in your” she looked at Felicity “best interests to meet with him son”

She turned on her black heels and walked out of the door, as casually as she had just told them she was buying a puppy.

Felicity’s head cocked to the side and her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again “did she just say…” he voice trailed off a pen dancing on her fingers as she stood up from the chair and walked over to Oliver who had not muttered a sound.

“She just said…” Felicity trailed off again “she said Mafia, right? She said the Russian Mafia?”  
Oliver looked down at her, his face had gone from rage to utter confusion.  
“Apparently she did”

* * *

  
Oliver had left the room shortly after he collected his jaw off the floor. He had been roaming the halls ever since, Felicity had watched him as he would pace up towards the elevator, push the button, shake his head and walk back towards the office, then turn around and walk back towards the elevator. She had watched him do that from her vantage point behind the desk at least ten times.

She had tried to focus on the list of possible coordinates she was determined to narrow down further, but her intrigue had gotten the best of her and she was now searching an FBI database on everything they knew about a Mikhail Slokavich. It was very little.

There were no photos, no date of birth – although the estimated him to be around 50 years old. His title, as a Sovietnik had led Felicity to delve deeper into a longstanding criminal organisation than she thought she ever would.

The title was given to the head’s most trusted advisor. It simply meant Councillor and in the hierarchy within the Mafia it was the second in command.

The FBI knew him as such and he was linked to everything from drug smuggling to murder, but nothing had ever stuck and it appeared from their database he was free to roam as he pleased. It provided no other useful information.

The connection between a syndicate of the Russian Mafia and Moira Queen was a connection that Felicity couldn’t find. She had searched Births, Deaths and Marriages’ databases in both countries, but she didn’t speak Russian and even if she did, none of it appeared to date far enough back. The first reference to Moira ever existing was a social security number issued to her two years before Oliver was born. She was a ghost before that.

When she had managed to get his attention she had flagged down Oliver and told him what she had found. He had listened, nodded and then left the room again.

On his last cycle back into the office Felicity shut the door and leant against it. Taking his hands into hers she rubbed them gently with her thumbs.  
“You and me, okay? We got this” she said simply  
He smiled briefly and went to open his mouth to say something, when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

There were two large men and one smaller man stepping from the elevator. They stopped in front of a middle aged women and the smaller man must have asked her something. She pointed towards the office where Oliver and Felicity were standing before she scurried into an elevator cab.

“Felicity, stay behind me” Oliver instructed, in a manner that reminded her of the time in the alleyway in her red dress, only this time she wasn’t mocking his protectiveness.

He ferried her behind him and stepped away from the door as there was a knock, a pause of a second and then the opening of the door.

“Oliver Queen?” the smaller one asked, the two larger ones standing either side of him  
“Yes” Oliver replied, surprisingly calm in his demeanour  
“Our boss, Mikhail Slokavich would like just a moment of your time” his English was fluid, he spoke with an accent, but his words were clear  
“You should tell him to make an appointment with my secretary, I’m a busy man”

Felicity dug her nails into his arm _was he actually kidding right now?_  
She didn’t recognise it for what it was, but Oliver had thought long and hard about it while he paced the office floor. They clearly wanted something from him. There would be no meeting requested of a dead man, so they wanted him alive. Surprisingly to him he had learnt something after all these years of sitting opposite his father’s office – one very simple lesson in business, never show fear.

The smaller man grinned wildly as if he had heard a wondrous joke.  
“You” he laughed pointing jovially at Oliver’s chest “you are much like your mother”

Oliver didn’t move a muscle until the smaller one looked at the larger one to the right and nodded his head minutely.  
That one peeled back a side of his jacket which revealed a holster with a very shiny gun nestled in it.  
“Again, Mr Slokavich requests your attendance, yes?” the smaller one smiled “I’m sure your secretary, she won’t mind” he peered around Oliver’s shoulders and winked at Felicity.

“I guess I can push my other meetings” Oliver said calmly, removing Felicity’s hand from his arm

The four men took a step towards the door when Felicity caught his arm again. “I’ll come too” she spoke to Oliver, but loud enough that the others heard.

“Your secretary isn’t needed” the smaller one joked  
“I’m not his secretary” Felicity retorted her brow furrowing at the mere suggestion of it  
“Felicity stay here” Oliver grunted in her ear, once again removing her hand from his arm  
“She is your wife then?” another laugh  
Without quite remembering who she was sassing she flashed her left – and very ring-less – hand with a smirk.

“Ah, I see boys, she is his, uh” he was laughing and making a gesture that involved an up and down hand motion.  
“What she is to me is irrelevant” Oliver interrupted, fastening the button on his suit jacket “she is staying here” he directed that last part directly to Felicity, rubbing his hand down her arm.

Felicity backed off and nodded. She would stay here.

* * *

  
It was a 30 minute drive in lunchtime traffic before Oliver was shuffled into a dimly lit and very empty restaurant some place between midtown and the Glades.

“Oliver Queen, my how you have grown” the man with the grey hair and out of control eyebrows smiled boisterously “sit, sit” he gestured towards the empty chair opposite him.

Oliver took the seat, his hands folding onto his lap. He didn’t understand the introduction, he was sure he had never met this man.

The man clicked his fingers and a demure looking waitress appeared at his side.  
“What do you want boy?” he questioned Oliver in an informal tone, as if talking to a small child  
“Nothing, I’m fine” Oliver replied, his hands now resting on the table  
“Bah” the man grunted “bring him a kolbasa” he finished as the young girl nodded and left  
“Why don’t you just tell me why I’m here, Mr Slokavich?” Oliver leaned in, his heart was racing, but you couldn’t tell for looking at him.

“You are very much like your grandfather. He was a ruthless man, of strong blood. He was a good man”  
“Ruthless and good don’t often get used together” Oliver replied  
Mikhail laughed “You call me Mikhail, your blood gives you that right”  
Oliver shook his head “I’m not sure who you think I am, but-“  
The man raised his right hand, his once jovial face turning a darker shade.

“Enough of this chit chat, yes? You are Oliver Queen, your mother Moira Queen was born Moriya Mikhailov, a name that brings with it a great lineage. Like her, you are born into this family as is your family. Your daughter”

Oliver clenched his fist thumping it onto the table “She is none of your concern”  
Mikhail smiled, his unshaven face curling up in approval at Oliver’s lack of composure  
“She is your blood, in our code she would not be hurt” returning to his previous story “your mother asked that you be left to live what she would class a normal life until you were a man. That is until you were wed, or became a father. My associates tell me you are only one of those things, but one is enough” he nodded

Taking it all in, Oliver leant back in his chair as a large plated sausage was carefully put down in front of him.  
“What exactly does this mean for me?”  
Mikhail folded his fingers together, his elbows on the table and a smile across his weathered face.  
“First you eat”

* * *

  
Felicity was anxious, she hadn’t heard anything from Oliver since he had left almost an hour ago. She had tried to focus her mind elsewhere, but she was a scatter of emotions. He had told her to wait here, but perhaps there is more she should be doing?

She had managed to remove two places from the numbers on her list – the coordinates – the areas were out of the realm of possibility, one was a desert with nothing around for miles, the satellite she had hacked showed no movement in the area for days, the second was in the middle of a rainforest – lots of movement, none of it human. While there was always the possibility that they could have Thea underground at either of those places that seemed a little too farfetched.

Another 5 minutes ticked by, she was nervously tapping the pen a top the notebook, which she had completely forgotten she had written a note in for herself the evening before.

She loaded the rest of the information onto her laptop, she couldn’t just sit around here anymore. She piled her things into the messenger bag and slung it over her shoulder. She needed to get outside and do something – anything.

* * *

  
The terms were simple. Oliver would be inducted into the Brotherhood and simply because of his lineage he would move up the ranks to and Avtoritet, which simply put meant Authority. This position would make him a Captain in charge of a small group of men of his choosing – this would be his Brigade – his Bratva – and follow only the orders of Mikhail and the Pakhan (or Boss) above him.

Mikhail did not offer the name of the Pakhan, saying that it was only for sworn in members to know. Oliver would learn it in due course.

“No. I thank you for your time, but no” Oliver replied, standing from the table.  
He was flanked by the two larger men from before.  
“There was a mistake in my words?” Mikhail’s face drew into a scowl “This is not something you can say no to” he waved his finger in the air before sticking more food in his mouth “there is no choice”

He waved the smaller man over who proceeded to lean in shoulder to shoulder against Mikahil, his back to Oliver. Mikhail whispered something in the man’s ear, maintaining eye contact with Oliver.

The smaller man nodded and left the building. Mikhail waved the waitress over again.  
“My friend here, he needs a drink”  
A large hand rested on Oliver’s shoulder, pushing him back down into the seat. 

* * *

 

Felicity juggled the laptop under her arm, the messenger bag slung across her shoulder and the coffee she had just collected in her hands as she passed through the security gates at QC. She waved at Louis, the smiling security guard who would always tip a pretend hat to her every morning.

As she reached the glass doors she glanced down at her watch, 2:10pm – Oliver had been gone over an hour now. She didn’t have any idea if there was a time limit on meetings with the Russian mob, but she was becoming increasingly worried with each passing minute.

She didn’t notice the men coming towards the door to the left of her, in fact she didn’t notice anything until a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards, the freshly brewed coffee spilling to the floor. It was Sara, her face was white as Canadian snow. Felicity was about to say something when a shattering explosion of noise echoed against the marbled floors. It was a cacophony of sound Felicity knew well.

The two men to the left of her were raining down a hail of automatic gunfire in no particular direction, creating a waterfall of glass and a chorus of screams. Felicity dropped the laptop and skidded towards an administration desk. Sara stood, frozen.

Risking the curtain of gunfire Felicity went back towards Sara just as the taller of the two men turned and met her eyes with his own. He raised the gun towards the two of them and in a sequence that ran like slow motion, Felicity grabbed Sara’s hand, spun her and pushed her towards the desk. The two skated across the marble floor scurrying behind the desk a split second before the gun engaged and bullets scattered around them – all Felicity could think in the moment was she had hoped QC hadn’t skimped on costs and that the desk that looked like solid slate would protect them in the onslaught.

It felt like a deluge that lasted an hour, but it had been less than 8 minutes and then the men had casually left the building. The noise from the guns had gone, replaced with whimpering, soft voices and sirens in the distance. Felicity looked over at Sara who was holding her right arm, just splatter of blood on her hands, it appeared to be just a graze, but Sara was staring at nothing, her legs tucked up into her chest, rocking back and forth on her tail bone.

“Sara, are you okay?” Felicity asked placing a hand on Sara’s shoulder.  
Sara nodded quickly, snapping out of the trance she had been under.  
Felicity looked around from behind the desk, there was no sign of the men. She stood up and surveyed the foyer of Queen Consolidate. It resembled a warzone. Papers were strewn across the floor, some flapping in the wind that was sweeping through the broken windows. Scared groups of people huddled together behind anything they could find. Three bodies lay motionless on the floor that she could see.

She ran to the first, rolling the large body over onto his back she felt her heart drop. It was Louis, the man with the invisible hat and he was very much dead.

* * *

  
The glass was slid across the table to Oliver who just stared at it.  
“Drink” Mikhail order.  
Oliver downed the strong vodka, holding back the splutter it produced in the back of his throat.

“Now, call your lady friend, she will be worried”  
His phone, which had been taken off him before they reached the restaurant, was placed on the table in front of him. He picked it up and dialled Felicity’s number.

“Oliver?” Felicity sniffed, her voice broken and shaking  
“Are you okay?” Oliver replied, his calm demeanour slipping from his face  
“I’m okay, but Oliver, people are dead, there’s blood everywhere” he could hear her trying to get a full breath “they just came in and shot at people, what’s going on?”

Oliver’s lip quaked and his eyes blinked slowly. She was alright, but only just.  
“I need you to call Dig, get him to take you home and stay there with you, okay?”  
“Oliver, I –“  
“Do it Felicity, do it now” Oliver hung up the phone, fearful he would give more away of his affection for Felicity than he already had.  
Although, he realised, it appeared they already knew that.

“You have 2 months to get your affairs in order, then you will fly to Russia, we will be waiting” Mikhail slid a card across the table “You can go now” he smiled, gesturing Oliver away.

Oliver took the card and his phone and practically ran from the building.

* * *

  
Felicity looked down at the phone in her hands. Her hands that were now peppered with blood from moving Louis.

Paramedics and Police were filling the foyer now and there was nothing she could do here. She ran back to where she had left Sara, still with her legs curled up.

“We need to leave, okay?” Felicity said, it was apparent to her that there was a deeper reason Sara was reacting like this, it was becoming obvious that Sara knew something.

Sara nodded, her hand rubbing her nose like it was on fire. Felicity helped her off the floor and in the mayhem that surrounded them they slipped out of the building without anyone noticing.

Felicity parked Sara up against a wall outside and ran back to collect the laptop that she had dropped to the floor. It was covered with debris and bullet holes. _Shit._

She collected it anyway and started dialling her phone as she left the building again.

“Felicity, tell me you are not at that building?” John answered  
“I am, and I need you to come get me, please”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> British spelling for the win :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear any comments you have.  
> 


	7. Coincidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovelies, sorry about my slack updates. I'm hoping to pull things back in line this week. Forgive me? 
> 
> Wish me luck.
> 
> As always, love to hear your comments, thoughts, interactions of any kind.

“So, when do I get told what the hell is going on here?” John questioned ushering Felicity and Sara into the apartment  
“Dig, I can’t tell you what I don’t know myself” Felicity sighed, sweeping her hair back from her face, the bullet ridden laptop tucked under her arm  
She watched as Sara stood with folded arms across her chest balancing from one foot to the other, she definitely knew something more.

She thanked John with a smile and an arm squeeze, it was clear he was worried but she was telling the truth, she was almost as in the dark as he was.

She lay the laptop down – that was near impossible task she would attempt later.

“Let’s clean your arm up” she told Sara guiding her towards the kitchen.  
Felicity pulled out a dining chair and gestured for Sara to sit before heading towards the cupboard at the far end of the kitchen where the first aid kit lived.

Returning to the table Felicity took a chair at a right angle from Sara and gently pulled her hand away from her arm to get a better look at the wound.

“It’s just a graze” Felicity mentioned  
Sara nodded slowly as Felicity got out the saline and cotton pad “It might sting a little”  
She poured the solution onto the pad and gently patted the wound eliciting a drawn in breath from Sara.  
“Are you going to tell me how you knew who those men were?” Felicity spoke, her eyes moving up to Sara’s, whose eyes were looking anywhere but at Felicity.  
“I didn’t” Sara replied, a terrible attempt at a lie that Felicity saw right through

Although the younger of the two, Felicity felt like it was the opposite at this moment. Her head cocked to the side, her eyes searching Sara for the truth.  
“You knew them Sara, are they from the Russian Mafia?”  
Sara nodded a slow, tentative yes.  
“And how do you know the Russian Mafia?”  
Sara drew in a breath, her fingers picking nervously at each other “because I’m part of it”

Felicity’s lips parted, trying to find words – a word, anything – but she found none. Her mouth closed again, then opened “you” she stopped again, pausing to order her thoughts “you’re part of the Russian Mafia?”

“The not so good people I was involved with, it was them. I owed them a lot of money, I went to someone for help, they offered me a job, and here I am, running drugs for them across Russia”  
Felicity processed the information presented to her in silence.  
“The person you went to get help from, which Queen was it?”  
“Robert”  
Sara rubbed a finger into her temple.  
“And the job?” Felicity questioned  
“The one they were going to offer to you” Sara muttered under her breath  
Felicity’s heart sank a little, her fate had been sealed by the Queens the moment she had said yes to the date with Oliver. She knew Sara wasn’t aware of the details surrounding the reasons Felicity never returned to QC, but this was just a painful reminder of a time in Felicity’s life where the world turned without her.  
“I’m sorry” Sara sniffed  
“You don’t have any reason to be sorry” Felicity breathed, trying to separating the past from the present.  
“He introduced you to the Mafia?”  
Sara nodded, it was a relief to at least let some of her secrets out.  
“Did you know what they were planning today, that they would kill” Felicity paused “that they would do what they did?”  
“No, I swear, I’m the lowest to them, I run drugs and hack police records, I didn’t know I swear” the panicked looked on Sara’s face led Felicity to believe her.

 

“Mommy” Amelie called careening around the corner into the kitchen, Lyla following shortly behind  
“John told me what happened, are you okay?” Lyla asked as Amelie, unaware of what she was talking about, carelessly play with Felicity’s hair.  
“We’re fine” Felicity replied with a slight nod “Sara, this is-“  
“Lyla” Sara finished  
Lyla balanced the shopping bag on her hip “have we met?”  
Sara drew her hand across her face subconsciously “uh no, Oliver had just mentioned you, I guessed” she smiled  
Lyla nodded then turned her attention back to Felicity “John and I will stay here the night”  
“You don’t need to, honestly”  
“We weren’t asking” she smiled before heading to unpack the shopping after a quick tousle of Amelie’s hair.

 

Felicity heard the click of the door open, lowering Amelie from her lap she looked around the corner of the wall and saw Oliver closing the door behind him.

She ran straight to him, an overwhelming sense of relief washing over her. She almost fell against him, her small frame hitting against him with such force his much larger frame took a step back to balance.

He, finally feeling his own sense of relief, caved into her arms, now wrapped tightly around his shoulders. He felt her body trembling against his, she was crying, or more accurately sobbing.

His hand stroked her head as he placed soft kiss atop it, an overwhelming sense of foreboding hanging over both of them.

 

* * *

The apartment was silent. Night had fallen, Amelie had been tucked into bed and Sara had gone home to rest, the remaining four sat silently around the dining table as Oliver finished outlining his introduction to a world he was apparently very much a part of, albeit in a non-complicit way.

“So where does that leave you?” John said smoothing a hand down his cheek “both of you” he corrected, his eyes falling to Felicity  
“I find Thea” Oliver spoke calming – in a way that seemed he had already accepted his fate “then, I don’t know” he turned his body towards Felicity, his hands cupping hers in a moment of tenderness that was not lost on anyone seeing it “but first I need a favour from you”

Felicity blinked her eyes and slowly nodded “anything”.  
“You need to take Amelie and you need to disappear, the sooner the better, and” he sighed, his heart fearing the words he was about to say “I can’t know where you’ve gone. You have to go, completely. I’ll give you enough money to go anywhere”

She pulled her hands away from his, a perplexed look drawing across her face.  
“I’m not going anywhere” she breathed, her voice soft, but assured  
“Felicity, this isn’t a discussion, I need you to take Amelie and go, please” there was a pain in his voice now  
She shook her head and she stood from the table. She knew what he was asking. It meant leaving him, it meant leaving everyone. She also knew the reasons he was asking her to leave but in the moment she was refusing to accept them.  
“Maybe he has a point” John spoke up, as Lyla placed a hand onto his – nodding in agreement.

Felicity walked from the room, returning a less than 30 seconds later with her destroyed laptop. She placed it heavily on the table.  
“Can any of you fix that?” she looked at Oliver “you can’t find Thea without me”  
His lips pursed, she had a point, there was no way he could find Thea in the timeframe available to him.  
“And then you go” his eyes fixed on her  
“And then we talk” she corrected  
As Oliver’s eyes rested on Felicity’s he could see the resolve in her face. It was both what he loved about her and what infuriated him.

 

* * *

John sat at the table, his eyes focusing on the task before him as he dismantled and cleaned his gun. Lyla placed a hot coffee in front of him, her hand gently laying on his shoulder.

“I don’t understand why she’s being so hard headed about this” he muttered, cleaning each piece in front of him  
“She’s found something she doesn’t want to walk away from” Lyla responded taking the seat beside John  
“This isn’t a game, she could get hurt, she has Amelie to think of”  
“You heard Oliver, they won’t touch Amelie”  
“But still” his voice was rising, it was a hard sell for him to accept that someone he considered like a sister would be so flippant about the very high danger her life was in  
“John” Lyla’s voice cooed, calming him almost instantly “we have all walked away from things that we have later regretted, Felicity just wants to fight, to find a different way, sometimes things are worth fighting for. I wish I had fought harder for you” it was a truth she had kept silent about since walking back into his life.

John’s eyes drew away from the task before him.  
“That was different”  
“Was it? You told me to leave and I pushed you away. We both thought we were doing the right thing, but for what? I know, for me it was the wrong choice”  
His hand reached for her face, drawing down across her cheek. Her face showing a pained smile to his touch – she missed it.  
“I miss you too” he breathed, his deep voice drawing out each word  
“Let the girl fight for what she loves” Lyla spoke her own hand coming to rest on his knee

 

* * *

Sara pulled the jacket closer around her, the cold of the wind threatening against her. The alleyway was dark, but she feared not nearly dark enough.  
“What did you learn?” a voice from the shadows asked  
“Not much, it’s there. I think I can use what I found. If I can, then they can”  
“Good, let them know. Let’s see who we’re playing with”  
Sara listened as the shadowy figure turned on the cobblestones and walked away, shoes tapping ever so lightly their way into the distance.

She sniffed the cold air. She needed a fix. Any fix.

She paced the streets looking for anything. She was miles from home, lost in the streets that had watching eyes.

A hand took hold of her arm behind her. She froze, afraid to meet with a face behind her.  
“The streets are a dangerous place” the distinctly Russian voice almost laughed  
Sara whispered a prayer to anyone who might be listening before she turned to meet the face she already knew.

“Mr Slokavich” she said quietly, her eyes unwilling to meet with his  
“We expected to hear from you today” his voice was gruff, a far different tone from the one he had taken with Oliver  
“I would have come to you sooner, but you shooting up the place was unexpected” she retorted, removing her arm from the hand of the bodyguard beside her  
“Mr Queen needed help to make the right choice” he almost laughed, deep from his core  
“Well it almost got me shot” Sara replied, her tone probably out of place for the person she was speaking with  
He grabbed her face, pulling her in close to him, his fingers and thumb pushing into her cheeks “You are barely relevant” he scoffed, his eyes narrowing on hers “Do not forget that”  
He pushed her back as he let her go.  
“Do you have anything for me?”  
“The code I recovered will make Trojan work, but I need the equipment to test it. The code was only partially recoverable, but what she left should be enough if I can finish the holes. We don’t need all levels of her code, just the base level is enough” she spoke, aware he probably wasn’t interested in the finer points.  
“We will get it to you, once you have a code to test on it” he replied

He turned and walked away from her, stepping into a nearby black car.

 

* * *

“She’s up to something” Lyla muttered hanging her phone up as she paced across the floor  
John looked up, although he honestly had no idea what she was talking about.  
“Waller has blacklisted me, no one will give me anything”  
“That’s not surprising though is it?” John almost laughed  
“This is more than that, there is something she doesn’t want me knowing"  
“And you know this because?”  
Lyla ran her hands through her cropped hair, her face screwing up as thoughts ran through her mind. She knew Waller, she knew Waller would be pissed about her leaving. She knew Waller would revoke any access, but this was more. This was something she was actively trying to keep her from. No one at ARGUS was talking and that made Lyla nervous.  
“Call it intuition” she replied finally.

 

* * *

Despite the damage it had sustained, when Felicity dismantled the laptop she was presently surprised to see not a single bullet had hit anything vital. She was cautiously optimistic, but she was pretty sure the information she had put on the device would be recoverable without too much of a hassle.

She almost cheered herself on as she strung wires across the desk and prayed for it to work. Everything she had appeared on the screen in front of her.

As she watched the transfer of information take place her mind – without any reason – remembered the note she had written, the encryption she couldn’t break – Trojan, what was Trojan?

She pushed her seat back and left the file transfer blinking away to seek out Oliver.

She found him shirtless and standing on the inside of the patio door, staring out to the city lights – a habit she had decided he found somewhat calming. She stood behind him, her arms slipping around his waist, her head coming to rest against his back, listening to the deep breaths he was taking.  
“What’s Trojan?”  
“The condom brand?” he replied confused  
She rolled her eyes and cracked a small smile against his skin.  
“No, I’m pretty sure QC isn’t making condoms”  
“Is this to do with Thea?” he questioned, turning around in her arms to face her  
“In as much as I found something I didn’t understand while I was looking for her. Something was removed from the Applied Sciences records just before it was handed over to you. The file is password protected”  
“Then it should be a problem for you”  
“By thumbprint which seems a little overkill”  
Oliver thought on it for a moment “Can you see who has access to it, whose thumbprint would work”  
Felicity stepped back, her eyes wide – _why hadn’t she thought of that?_

Felicity placed a quick kiss on his back and scooted back to the office, practically falling on to the chair.

She typed a variety of commands on the keyboard _why hadn’t she thought of doing that?_  
It took a surprisingly little amount of time to find what she was looking for, unfortunately it appeared only Robert Queen had the authority to unlock the file. She doubted he would be so easily persuaded to – even if she asked nicely.

She scrolled further down the text in front of her, there was a log of different people who at one time had been granted access, none of them rung any bells to her, but she jotted down their names regardless. Then the first name on the list – the one who first logged whatever Trojan was into the system at Queen Consolidated, she read the name under her breath to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her “Oliver Queen”.  
It was date stamped _May 2009_.

May 2009.  
She was arrested.  
She was expelled.  
She was pregnant.  
She was alone.

Her mind wandered a million different directions. She had known in her head that Oliver had not known about her, that he had – in essence – carried on life as normal, but she had never been faced with it in black and white text in front of her.

It had to be a coincidence. _Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> All thoughts accepted ☺


	8. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a little late, but I wanted to take my time with this one. Hope it is worth the wait.
> 
> Xox

Felicity stood in the doorway watching Oliver as he stood under the shower oblivious to her presence in the room.

She couldn’t shake the insecurities forming in her head. He had managed to function without her, he had managed to live without her – of course he had, it was her world that had imploded. She tried to swallow it down but the feeling was rising – she was resentful.

He was startled when he turned and saw her. She wanted to ask him about Trojan, but she knew every word she spoke would be tinged with a bitter tone. She left the doorway and walked back into the bedroom, her mind a complex trail of mixed emotions.

Seconds later she heard the shower switch off and shortly after he was behind her, his body still wet with droplets, a towel haphazardly wrapped around his waist.

“Did you find something?” he asked, placing a hand on each of her shoulders  
She could feel his breath warm against her neck.  
She desperately wanted to ask him questions she had never had the gall to ask of him before, but she was afraid of hearing the answer.  
“Felicity?” he had noticed her lack of an answer

She swallowed down her discord, this wasn’t about her. It was about Thea.  
“Only Robert has access” she sighed turning to face him.  
His hands dropped down her arms, squeezing gently above her elbows.  
“Oh, well, maybe” he spoke  
“Oliver there is more” she paused, ensuring she could watch his eyes for his reaction to the next part “Trojan was originally logged by you in May 2009”  
She watched him take in the information.  
“Do you remember anything about that time?” Felicity asked  
She noted his eyes blinked down, unusually avoiding contact with her own.

The truth was Oliver did remember things. Just moments, the Trojan surprised him, he wasn’t lying about having no recollection of that. But the more Felicity opened up to him about the moments they shared together and what happened to her when they were separated, the more pieces of his own time afterwards began to form.

He remembered returning home to try and find her. He remembered the resentment he felt as he tore up the photo of her and he remembered the multiple women he’d bedded shortly afterwards to fill a void and in some way as a pretence to hide his broken pride.

These were memories he couldn’t bring himself to share with her. He had convinced himself that to do so would only compact the abandonment she must have already felt – that’s what he told himself, but he knew the truth was he was ashamed and he couldn’t bear to tell her that while she lived through so much, he lived like a rock star without a care.

“Oliver, do you remember anything?” Felicity repeated, instinctively aware he did  
“I know I did a lot of deals for my father, maybe it was of those?” there was truth in his words, he didn’t remember Trojan, he probably never would have known either way, he barely cared about what he was there for.  
“Do you have your passport, maybe we can see where you went?”  
Felicity knew it would have made little difference to know where he was, or where he might have received Trojan, her request was personal – she wanted to know what his May 2009 had looked like.

Oliver thought about it “it’ll be at Queen Mansion, I’ll go tomorrow, I have done other things to collect”  
Felicity thought again about saying something, but she bit her tongue. She still didn’t actually want to know the answer.

* * *

Tommy paced the square room, he was eager to finish what his father had started. He had spent countless hours sifting through all the information that Malcolm, had documented. He had everything he needed – in the sense he knew where to get it from at least.

He had discovered the deal Malcolm had made with Robert – a plant for a name.

The plant was a rare and deadly one, it’s common name to those who knew it was Trojan, named so because it’s remarkable similarity to a harmless wild plant in its early stages of growth. The two plants would grow in hidden synchronicity together until the second year when Trojan would flower, the pollen of which was deadly upon inhaling or ingesting. It could kill an adult in 15 minutes, a younger or weaker person even quicker. Only a trained eye could find this plant before it flowered.

That was what Robert Queen had requested, a plant that had not yet flowered together with three young buds of the same. Malcolm had noted his conclusion that Robert’s intention was to turn this plant into a weapon of some sort. He had noted that the toxin must be inhaled or ingested directly and within a quick period of time.

Malcolm had surmised that they would need some canister device to house the toxin and secondly that they would develop a means to deploy it within an existing network, be that air conditioning and ventilation systems or water networks, which meant they needed a way to control these systems – or at least the end buyer would.

Malcolm knew it was not within the Mafia to use things themselves, they were not terrorists, this would be made, packaged and sold to the highest bidder.

It was Tommy that was convinced that QC must be close to creating this weapon. Whispers had reached their way back to him and he had seen for himself a code that could be manipulated to given unfettered access to network systems in even the most secure of facilities.

This was why Tommy had decided it was time to take it back and use it against Starling City.

And this is why he was pacing the room with Ra’s Al Ghul, asking him for approval to dangle Thea in front of Oliver, her in exchange for the Trojan and everything they have on it.

“What makes you think he wouldn’t kill you the instant he saw you?” a female spoke in a polished voice as she entered the room without invitation  
“Oliver couldn’t kill me” Tommy mocked, he had little to no care for the woman that was his direct competition to his ascension through the ranks.  
“Again, he underestimates him father” Nyssa directed her words to Ra’s alone  
Turning her attention to Tommy “You are foolish if you think that he is not capable of spilling blood. Much like it is in my blood, the ability to do so ruthlessly is in his. It is you that will awaken that in him. You are reckless and act out of some misguided path of revenge. It is weak, you are weak”

Tommy went to strike her across the face, but his hand was stopped by Ra’s himself.  
“Betrothed couples should not treat each other with such disdain” he spoke calmly “my daughter is right, this is not a job for you Al Mubtadi, Nyssa will go and present him with the choice and bring him here”

Tommy was unhappy with the decision, but it was not within his power to oppose it. Nyssa would leave for Starling City at first light.

* * *

 

Oliver sat alone in the office with a softly lit lamp his only company.  
He couldn’t sleep. It was almost 2am and his head was full of things he should tell Felicity. His mind traversed the path between whether she deserved the truth or whether he should spare her the hurt.

He had spent some time watching her sleep beside him, studying the way her mouth flexed slightly at the corners as she dreamt and the way she would wrap the sheet tightly under her chin. He study those intricacies of her greedily, fearful the time would soon be upon him when he would not see them again.

He had made a plan, one she would not like, but one he was convinced was absolutely necessary.

Once they located Thea, Dig would take Felicity and Amelie away from Oliver, far away. Covering his tracks after every movement he took. Then Oliver would go to Russia, alone but safe in the knowledge Amelie would not be drawn into that world and that Felicity would not become a target.

Both Oliver and John knew she would fight them on this, but they were both willing to risk their relationship with her to keep them safe.

Oliver didn’t notice Amelie in the doorway until she spoke up softly, with an intuition well beyond her tender age “it will be okay”

Oliver managed a smile which held back his desperation for a different choice  
“Why are you awake Amelie?” his voice was shaking, he was barely holding himself together

Amelie walked towards him, tucking the blond hair falling across her face behind her ear. Her eyes were staring intently at him as she took one of his hands into both of hers.  
“Mommy says it’s okay to cry because that just means we care” she said softly, patting his hand sandwiched between hers.  
“Your mom is very smart” his free hand ran over the crown of her head, hoping to remember everything he had come to know about her in their short time together.

Amelie blinked up at Oliver, her mouth pursing the same way – he noted – that Felicity’s did when she was about to lay something on him.  
“Do you love her?”  
Oliver knew instantly how he wanted to reply, it was one of the easiest questions he could have been asked, but he hesitated because saying it would make the imminent separation even harder.  
He chose his words carefully “I care about you and your mom very deeply”  
“Well then” she climbed up on the arm of the chair “You should marry her, because then we can be a real family and no one has to be sad” she leant her head down onto his chest, a small hand patting his shoulder softly – in her innocence unaware of the impact her words were having on him.  
But, he had no other choice – _Right_?

* * *

  
“Oh god, I haven’t been here since-“ Felicity didn’t finish her sentence as Oliver came to a halt outside the entrance of Queen Mansion  
“Since they turned you and Amelie away” Oliver finished it for her, the resentment still very firmly in his tone  
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come” Felicity muttered as she tapped nervously on his arm “why did you convince me to come?”

“Well the real reason is I want you to tell me every place we had sex, and then we can christen the places we didn’t” Oliver joked – his mood lifted from the 10 minute long hug Amelie had given him till she fell asleep in his arms.

Felicity slapped his arm.  
“Seriously, why am I here?”  
“To prove a point”  
Felicity nodded slowly, reluctantly she had agreed to his request to go with him – something she was regretting now.

They stepped from the car, Felicity looked up at the mansion’s foreboding presence. Before she could make any further rebuttal, Oliver had her hand in his – just like all those years before – and was leading her up to the front door.

“Oliver” Moira smiled, her arms open towards him  
Oliver shook his head at her, he had zero interest in buying into her games.  
“I’m just here for my stuff” Oliver said bluntly  
“I had them pack it up and put in the pool house like you-“  
He didn’t even let her finish before he turned on his heels and headed around the side of the house, tugging Felicity along behind him.

“I never thought I would be saying this, but maybe you’re being too hard on her?”  
Oliver stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Felicity with squinted eyes and a furrowed brow, his mouth paused around his reply.  
“Yea” Felicity scrunched up her nose “I can’t believe I said that either. I just mean, maybe she should know about Thea. She is their daughter”

Oliver closed his lips, ruminating over the words she was saying.  
“No, I don’t trust them. We’ll find her and then can be her choice”  
Felicity sighed, the pain was still so fresh for him – where she had years to heal, he had not.  
“Your parents are” she paused, grappling for the right word “trying?” she shook her head, isn’t wasn’t quite enough “maybe psychotic is too strong of a word? But regardless, they are your parents and they are Thea’s, do you honestly think they could hurt her?”

Oliver took Felicity’s hand and almost ran to the pool house a few feet away. He opened the door and pulled her inside, closing the door behind them. His fist banged on the door, his head falling onto it causing Felicity to jump at the sound.

“Yes, yes I do” he pounded the door again, his back to her, his head bowed  
She looked at him with concern, she never had any reason to fear him but she could see everything happening around them was rattling him, more than he would care to admit.

“Oliver” she said calmly, her hand gently resting on his shoulder  
She felt him tense underneath her, as though he was holding himself back, holding something in.  
“Oliver” she said again, her hand gliding up towards his neck “look at me” she coached, her voice soft and calming to his troubled mind.  
She turned his body towards her own, her hands resting either side of his face now.  
“This isn’t a fight you face alone Oliver” she spoke softly, bowing her head to meet his downward gaze “We fight it together”

He nodded his head slowly it was all he could do not to tell her of his plan. She would hate him for it, but at least she would be safe.

Felicity knew there was more to his pain, she could sense there was something he was holding back from her. But who was she to judge? She was hiding her own deep-seated insecurities from him.

Now was not the time to push.

She stroked his cheek gently with her thumb, scattering away a small tear that had traced a path down it.  
“You and me, together, okay?” she kissed him softly on the lips as her hands ran back down his broad shoulders.

She smiled as she looked around the room filled with boxes of things he had left behind.  
“You know what?” her hand ran a course up and down his arm  
“What?” he smiled, noting the glint that was flickering in her eyes  
“We never had sex in here” she laughed jovially  
He smiled, but didn’t laugh as his hand slinked around the back of her neck, pulling her in close toward him. He kissed her strongly upon her supple lips, catching her off guard, she stumbled backwards one step but caught in his other strong arm.  
“I have something else in mind” he breathed against her lips, each syllable a soft kiss against them.

He locked the door and led her over towards the oversized daybed that overlooked the pool. He sat her down on the soft woven tan fabric and walked towards the large patio doors. She noted he knew his way around the room fairly effortlessly as he locked that door and used a remote on the wall that sent electric blinds slowly rolling down to the floor. The room darkened, but only slightly as the light streamed in from the skylights above.

He smiled as he made his way to a cabinet on the far side of the room, opened it and took something out.  
“What are you doing?” she laughed, intrigued as he walked towards her holding something in his hands.

He sat down beside her, his eyes soft, with just a hint of sadness in them.  
“I wish that I could remember every second we spent together, I would give up a million other memories to just have ones of you with me left”  
His finger drew a curved path down her neck and along her collarbone. She breathed softly in enjoyment of his gentle touch.  
“I’m sure I would have memorised every part of you” he leaned in, placing a soft kiss at the base of her neck “that I would have recalled every freckle you had and traced every curve so that I could see it when I closed my eyes. Felicity, I love you and I want to know what every part of you looks like, to study it” his voice was low and soft, like a beautiful hummed rhythm in her ears, his fingertips were softly tiptoeing across her so delicately she never noticed him undoing the first button on the black and white chiffon shirt she was wearing.

She felt like putty in his hands as she breathed his name softly and nodded her approval.

His hand traversed the remaining buttons until her top lay open, exposing her milky white skin and her soft dusk pink bra. She sat on her knees in front of him as his fingertips navigated a delicate trail down her arm, over the bump of her wrist and over her middle finger tip – the longest point of her arm.

“And I want to use this” he whispered, the object previously from his hands now becoming clear as he held up the smooth curved feather “it’s a fletching from an arrow, made by hand from the same wing of the same bird for each arrow” he spoke as he glided the surprisingly soft feather down from her neck to her navel.

Felicity felt her body sway with the soft, erotic movement. Her eyes blinked, searching his, willing to give herself freely to him, knowing in her heart that he was worth it.

He drew the feather back up the same trail, swooping it softly around any freckle he found on the way. It travelled across the left side of her collarbone, skirting the line of her blouse. Without touching his skin to hers he removed the blouse, sending it fluttering down her arms.

Her tongue lightly licked her lips as her teeth skated across it aware of each small movement Oliver made with the feather across her now bare shoulders. He tickled it down her arm in a slow fluid motion, sending minuscule hairs upwards on the back of her neck.

She felt his name dance delicately over her lips as her eyes slowly blinked, the sensation of the movement engulfing her being.

Her hand rose and folded like a wave as he traced the feather across each outline of each of her fingers.

He watched her closely, counting the seconds it took him to traverse the length of her arm, locking the information into his mind. His eyes took screenshots of the way her tongue peeked out from behind her lips and the smallest movement the corner of her mouth made when she breathed his name.

At a slightly faster pace he moved the feather back up her arm, taking a new path up her neck causing her to buckle towards the sensation. He was desperate to touch her with his hands, his lips, his body but he wanted to draw this moment out, to make sure no matter what lay ahead of him that this memory would never leave him. To ensure that it would be one he could recall when the nights were dark and the space beside him on the bed was empty.

He memorised the sight of her dark eyelashes against her skin and the perfect way her eyebrow arched just a little when she smiled. Across her jaw line he made his way, soft – the feather barely touching the surface – slow and deliberate till it reached the other side of her neck. He leaned in closer – still not hand on her – and breathed in the subtle scent of her. It reminded him of lavender in the morning dew – fragrant but delicate.

She felt the warmth of his breath against her shoulder as he continued down her shoulder. She could feel every movement he made despite it barely touching her – the pleasure was like none she had experienced before, stirring up deep inside her from the core and cascading across her whole body, each movement like a little sparked flame within her.

Instinctively she reached out for him, desperate for her hands to make contact with him. He skated the feather across the round of each finger, sending her hand withdrawing.  
“Not yet” he breathed, the vibrato in his voice sending a trickle of bumps up her arm

He plotted a course with the feather down her collarbone along the edge of dusk pink bra, his eyes taking in the soft curve of her breast and committing to his memory the freckle that sat against her porcelain skin, alone in its placement.

His heart was pounding with each inch of her body that he covered. His pulse was raised, his body turning against his resolve not to touch her – but he wouldn’t, not just yet.

Faintly the feather moved down the centre of her torso, inching out its slow, smooth path. He saw each muscle in her chest flex with the sensation, her chest rose and feel faster now – like him, her body was betraying her – desperate for his touch and desperate to touch him.

“Sssshh” he heard himself breathe against her skin – making her twitch at it.  
“Oliver” she hummed, her eyes still fluttering in time with the soft flicks the feather made atop her skin.

He skimmed the feather across the waistband of her jeans and for the first time in what seemed like hours he finally took her hand into his and stood up with her.

Her eyes hovered over his, her lips beckoning him to touch her without a single word passing across them – _but not just yet_ he reminded himself, touching the feather to his own lips, kissing it faintly then placing it with equal pressure on to her own pouted lips.

His hands danced across the fly of her jeans, undoing it with such a precision they were falling to the floor within seconds.

He breathed deeply, enjoying the passing of time as he watched her step from the jeans once they reached the floor. Taking her hand into his again he gestured for her to lie down, which she did so without question, her torso propped up on the back pillow of the day bed lounger.

He lay down beside her and started his next trail at the tip of her manicured, but unpainted toes, slowly crisscrossing a path upwards once again counting the seconds it took him to reach each new point of her leg – the ankle, 12 seconds; to the indent of her knee another 28 seconds.

He grazed around the underside of her knee noting to himself the perfect curve her leg made both directions from this point. She was unable to stop her body quivering from the gentle and sensual touches the feather made against her. She was barely holding herself together internally as she felt her body swell around the sensation washing over her, each passing second drawing it closer to the surface.

“Oliver please” she moaned behind a barely opened mouth

It took him another 52 seconds to travel a curved path up her thigh, taking the scenic route over each curve and each delicate dip her body made – the things he was desperate to retain.

He reached the edge of the matching dusk pink panties and his entire being was taunting him to touch her - _her_ so breathtakingly beautiful in front of him. She was his to touch, his to love, his to give himself to. They were together – at least for now.

Unable to hold himself back anymore – the allure of her parted lips too much for him to resist – he leaned in, his body pressed against her, and kissed her tenderly, the taste and semblance of the kiss enveloping his entire body – all sense of control now removed.

Moments went by as the kiss deepened, becoming more greedy in its lust. His tongue licked across her lips frenzied in his desire to commit to memory the taste of her lips and the distinct pressure they gave against his.

Hurried, eager now, free from the charge he had over them before, his hands gripped at her breasts in a way less foreplay more needy.

His delicate touch was unwanted now as she craved the wild movements his hands made across her body.  
“Oliver” she panted into his mouth as she pawed at his trousers – her own desperation sneaking through

It took only brief moments more until they were both naked and he was hovering over her, paused for but a second to study the glint in her eye as he entered her. He watched as her lips parted expelling a breath from her mouth when he pushed deeper.

He studied the feeling of her nails on his shoulder pulling him closer. His weight on top of her now as he balanced on one arm, his free hand traveling across her body before cupping the curve of her ass as she lifted her leg leveraging it against the small of his back.

He felt across the round of her ass, the smoothness like a soft satin sheet under his palm. His paced quickened as she rocked her heel against his back begging him deeper inside her.

She felt him filling her up, the pace of it in stark contrast to the sensual nature of the feather dancing across her body. She felt his fingers move from around to the front of her, tantalising her most sensitive of areas as he continued in and out of her. She felt her rush release as she clenched around him. Her voiced approval echoed across the room as he delve deeper and harder his own release nearing its completion.

The sprint to the finish was fast and heavy, his hands on her, her mouth against his neck. His body weight collapsed onto her as he reached the precipice and overtook it.

She felt his breath warm and fast against her shoulder as he lay his head on her chest – hoping to remember the sound of her heartbeat after reached their heights together.

 _Together_ a word he appreciated now but knew he would lament once it was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All and any comments welcome - they give me life ☺
> 
> Tav...told you I'd find a way, lol xox my awesome idea bouncer.


	9. Taken

Felicity sat up against the back of the daybed as she hugged a soft grey mohair throw Oliver had passed to her around her naked skin, still slightly dotted with a fresh layer of exertion.

She tucked her legs up towards her chest, her whole body flushed with the peach-toned euphoric rush from moments before. Her toes curled thinking about each moment – each tantalizingly drawn out moment. She watched him with eager, hungry eyes as he slipped his pants back over his briefs and padded over to her. She wasn’t ready to re-dress just yet, as her feet slid over the soft fabric of the daybed, her thighs sticky with the remnants of their mutual climax, he stroked her head kindly and placed a soft kiss on atop there.

She watched him as he moved, shirtless, around the room checking boxes, looking for something in amongst what she guessed was the rest of his life’s possessions. Her eye was drawn to the bow mounted proudly on the wall a smile pricking across her face as she recalled the way the feather felt against her inside thigh, an aftershock of pleasure tickled its way up her leg and into her core. She would lock that sensation away to be recalled whenever she felt the desire to.

“I remember you being good at that” she smiled, nodded towards the bow, the blanket dropping slightly, exposing the soft roundness of the top of her breasts as she adjusted her arms to gesture towards the same.

Her voice drew his attention, he followed her arm and looked towards the bow, nodding his answer “I was, my father taught me” he almost winched at the word ‘father’ coming from his mouth. It was a familiar word to him, but the person now seemed like a stranger.

He walked towards a solid grey safe and squatted down in front of it. Felicity watched as his lower back muscles twitched ever so slightly to balance him. He punched in the combination, his birthday, and with a successful beep the door of the safe opened.

Felicity couldn’t tell what was inside from her position so wrapping the blanket around her – in something that resembled a makeshift toga, she stood up from the daybed, brushing her now slightly knotted hair behind her ears an ever-present soft smile on her face as she walked towards him.

As he stood, his body hiding the object, something made a click and then a deeper clunk. She knew that sound. As he turned she caught her first glimpse of the object in his hands, a dark grey Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, her eyes jolted down towards the safe and she counted at least 3 other guns inside of varying calibres.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide with confusion. She stepped back as though the object in his hands might spring to life, she stumbled on the fabric of the throw, almost losing her balance, but her eyes never dropped from his.  
“Oliver?” she questioned, watching him place the gun atop the safe as he reached inside for another  
“If you’re staying, we need to make sure we have something to protect ourselves with” he spoke calmly as he checked the chamber of the second 9mm

She wanted to argue with him, to tell him there was no way those things would be anywhere near her daughter – only she wasn’t naïve, she hated guns but she had seen what the people they were at odds with were capable of doing without batting an eyelid.

“Oliver?” she spoke barely above a whisper  
“Please don’t argue this point with me Felicity” his voice was uncharacteristically sharp towards her.  
He heard himself, he noted his tone and the way it forced her to take another step back from him. He didn’t mean it, the truth was he was screaming inside – a juxtaposition of decisions fighting against each other, vying for control of his actions. Perhaps he was pushing her away, hoping that would make his choice to leave her easier. Maybe if she hated him, he could imagine her moving on with life – he could imagine Amelie having someone better in her life.

“I wasn’t going to argue with you” she finally spoke back, her hands folded across her chest in a moment of annoyance “I was just going to say, I’ll take this one” she leant around him, taking the darker one into her small hands

He breathed her in as she brushed against him, her familiar scent filled his nose as a sudden urge to kiss her was dangling in front of him, she had that effect on him and the knowledge she was naked underneath the blanket only heightened his arousal. He caught himself subconsciously pulling his lips into a pucker – he clenched and released his fist to control himself. As much as he wanted to, it wasn’t the time.

“Also” she breathed against the back of his neck, her body dangerous close to the side of his “I wanted to know where the shower is” a finger wrapped around a tuft of hair beside his ear.

He was acting indignant and grumpy, but she was none too bothered with that in truth – she would coax the reason out of him eventually, but for now – still reeling from the attention he had lavished on her – she was eager for more, perhaps for no other reason than to feel like her part in his life was cemented – that the period she was out of it paled in comparison. Her insecurities were dulled when his hands touched her, sweeping across her body, cupping her breasts, skirting the delicate areas around her sex – when he was doing that she felt alive, she felt needed and wanted – a feeling she was desperate to hold on to.

She felt his body heave a sigh, his shoulders relaxed and he leant a little closer to her.  
“There is a shower in the back” he almost hummed, drinking in the sensation of her hair floating across his shoulders and the warmth of her lips against his earlobe as she spoke  
“Are you going to stand here and pout, or would you like to join me?” her nail flicked across his pec as her teeth gently nibbled on his ear

In a show of brute strength he lifted her clear into the air and slumped her over his shoulder. She broke into a fit of giggles as he carried her to the shower in the back.

* * *

   
Sara starred and the screen in front of her, chewing her spearmint gum, an elbow propped up on the glass desk, leaning her in as close to the monitor as she could get.

The code was unfamiliar to her – it was not hers – but she had manage to understand it enough to see its run commands, to filter the false positives that had been expertly added. She had smiled at the goats – a stroke of brilliance that was.

She minimised the screen, felt herself praying for something as she executed the programme into the Starling City Metropolitan water grid. It took mere seconds, she was in – but perhaps that was beginner’s luck, after all their system was far less protected that others.

She looked around the office at QC and watched as people went about their day. She pulled up the network for the military base two cities over. She felt the wetness of her brow, a thin layer of sweat coursing its away across it. She chewed quicker on the gum, mimicking her heart rhythm.

She ran the same execute command and squinted her eyes away from the screen, 3.5 seconds later she was in. She almost didn’t believe it, but she could see everything. She moved the cameras to the second screen to her right giving her a view of the mayhem she was about to unleash.

She set off all alarms across the base, every smoke alarm, every emergency door alarm and every sprinkler – everything. She watched the other screen – the camera feed – as people came spilling out of every building she could see and from every angle.

It worked, whoever had this programme could control virtually any internal system across the globe – she didn’t doubt that. She watched the flagpole in one of the cameras – people swelling around it. She imagined what the effects would be if the airborne potency of Trojan was released right there in the centre of the base. One canister could kill hundreds of people before they realised it, she wasn’t sure how many QC had, but she surmised it was many more than one, now complete with an armchair-friendly way of setting it off.

She knew she needed to make two calls, but she made only one.  
“It’s finished, you have three days tops to make this happen” she spoke in a hushed voice, afraid of what walls might be listening.

* * *

 Felicity stared at the map she had set up in the living room of the penthouse. Oliver had remarked previously that she was pacing, she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflective glass of the windows she suddenly understood his words.

The memories of their time spent in the pool house yesterday were still batting around in her head, from the soft and slow time he took with her on the daybed to the rough animalistic way he took her in the shower. She rubbed a hand across her shoulder blade, wincing slightly at the bruise that had sprouted overnight, caused by his teeth breaking skin as he banged her against the wet, soapy wall of the shower cubical. It had caused her to cry out – his name and a litany of expletives.

He had taken her like everything depended on that moment and she had lavished each exquisitely primal moment of it. She had barely caught her breath from the vigorous pumping action he was subjecting her to when he – without explanation pulled out from her and pushed her towards the back of the cubical. She complied as his tongue teased against her nipple, coy and gentle at first, building up to a nip that again caused a heated, but happy, expletive to fall from her mouth.

He had not said a word as he spread her legs and began taking every inch of her. He had licked, sucked and nibbled against her, nuzzling in a way that made her want to miraculously climb the wall behind her.

His first words to her were in a low growl, instructing her to let go, that he wanted to taste her. He had turned her into a quivering mess, rolls of pleasure crashing over her, and as she rode that high he spun her, pushing her sensitive breasts against the wet tiled wall, the shock of the temperature change sending a spike through her body and a gasp from her mouth.

It was then he entered her again, his body pushed against her back, his pelvis rocking hard against her ass, the sounds of wet skin pounding against wet skin mixed with the constant pelting water against tiles making an almost obscene cacophony of sound.

His mouth had trapped her neck, devouring her freshly wet skin. He was mumbling against her skin, words that she couldn’t understand. He came inside her again his hotness filling her completely.

She had muttered his name, her lips against the wall, her breath heavy. He had stayed inside her for a time, rocking his cock around inside her, slowly and deliberately.

As she paced the living room she couldn’t help but relive those moments, not only because of the tenderness between her legs but because of the look in his eyes. He had wanted her in a completely sexual way and he had taken it, it was new and she wasn’t opposed to this Oliver.

“Focus” she shook her head, chatting to herself.  
She stood in front of the map, her hands switching between her hips and rolling over each other.

In front of her, dotted on the map were the last remaining areas where Thea could be, if her summation about coordinates was right. She was hoping one of these places would magically jump off the map and call to her.

“It’s the green pin” a clear female voice said behind her  
It took Felicity a few seconds to realise she had not imagined the voice.

She spun around and was met with a tall, slender brunette with sharp brown eyes and long dark hair – a complete stranger.

Felicity searched the room for any sort of weapon, she had made Oliver lock the guns upstairs, right about now she was wishing she had been more flippant about that.

“I’m not here to hurt you, if I was, you would already be dead. I’m an acquaintance of Oliver Queen and I know where his sister is” Nyssa said, calmly and clearly as she watched Felicity’s mouth almost drop to the floor.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spell it colour - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;) Also drink some Tea, it's good for you!!!!
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.


	10. Consequences

Oliver was sitting cross legged on Amelie’s bedroom floor with a plastic life sized Barbie head on the floor in front of him. Amelie was insistent that he learned how to plait, and with hands full of sections of hair he was more confused now than before.

“What do I do with this section?” he questioned, his eyes widely smiling at Amelie as she sat in front of him, her hands on her hips and her head cocked to the side.  
“You go under the middle one?” she pouted, her eyes dancing with delight at his large hands trying to fold sections of hair under each other.

He went over the middle section causing her to fall back in a fit of dramatic laughter.  
“Frack daddy, I said under” she grinned as her arms flopped down above her head  
“I don’t know, I’m pretty sure you told me go under and then over” he joked “and then all around it” his hands attempted the gesture, a mess of blond hair spilling from the not so pretty plait he had attempted

Amelie raised her head, her eyes rolling to the side, a loud – purposely overplayed – sigh heaved from her tiny chest.  
“You shouldn’t tell lies, your nose will grow” she said matter-of-factly, only her eyes giving away just how funny she found the whole thing  
“Who told you such a thing?” Oliver spoke, his mouth gaping open in overt surprise  
“Mommy, and you know she’s always right” Amelie replied, throwing a stuffed toy at Oliver as a huge grin beamed across her face

“Daddy?” she spoke, her voice softening now  
“Yes?” Oliver replied, his hands juggling the soft toy that she had thrown at him  
“You can call me Melie now” her eyes blinked up at him from the floor, her face filled with trepidation, unsure of the response she would get “if you want” she added, her voice even softer

Oliver stopped playing with the stuffed animal, his eyes dropping to the floor, then back up to where they met with his daughter’s eyes – the blue of them much like his own.  
“I would love that Melie” he replied softly, a smile brimming across his face, his heart boiling over from the small gesture she had shown him

She returned his words with an unabashed smile, full across her face, as she sat up from the floor and launched herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms fully around her, positive he could do so twice around her tiny frame and still have his arms overlap. He breathed her in, the soft scent of candyfloss soap dancing a happy moment across his nostrils as her hair bounced in curls around him.

In that moment he had forgotten his plan to leave them, in that moment nothing else mattered and in that moment he felt the warmth of a place he belonged – with the woman that he loved and the daughter that he cherished.

Felicity opened the door, her face white and her eyes wide. She didn’t have the where for all to appreciate the tender moment that she had walked in on as she stood, her hand shaking against the door frame.

“Oliver, you need to come downstairs” she said softly, trying to maintain a control in her voice, afraid Amelie would notice it wavering  
Oliver caught Felicity’s eyes and reading the urgency with which they looked at him, he gently stroked Amelie’s head, placed a gently kiss at her temple and lifted her off his lap.  
“You should fix this poor girls hair, okay?” he smiled as he stood up and gestured towards the doll’s head, now a matt of blond hair.  
“Okay daddy” Amelie replied, oblivious to the looks Felicity and Oliver were sharing

Oliver followed Felicity out of the room, closing Amelie’s door behind him as she sung a made up song about flowers and rainbows.

“Is everything okay?” he questioned, already sensing the answer was no  
“There is a woman downstairs who says she knows you and she knows where Thea is, Oliver I don’t know where she came from, she was just there, she says her name is Nyssa and you know her” Felicity’s brow furrowed, questioning without words whether this was true

Oliver shrugged, unsure if the name was familiar to him or not. There was a slight jolted memory that sprung when Felicity said the name, but the return of certain memories were sometimes unreliable, based more on what he thought he should remember rather than what he actually did – or in other cases, moments melding into different moments. He was unsure if that spark of a memory at the mention of the name Nyssa was merely one of those things.

He walked down the steps, his arm gesturing for Felicity to stay behind him which, given that she had already met the woman and she was still alive, seemed a bit beside the point to Felicity, but she had come to learn that it was instinctive for Oliver to do it, it was as though he would always use his larger frame to protect her, regardless of the fact that in most cases, she was equipped enough to protect herself.

He rounded the corner of the lounge and stopped when he saw her, tall, slender, a wave of dark hair cascading down her back, dark eyebrows framing deep brown eyes.

Her face was familiar to him and he took a step back to steady himself. It seemed to be some cruel joke that he could remember the face of a woman he had spent less than a week with, but the memories of one he cared far more deeply for – Felicity – were still, in part, hidden from him.

“Hello Oliver” her voice was as he remembered it, refined and spoken like someone who carried themselves in a higher station in life  
He remembered her being fluid in French, his own paled in comparison. He did not care for her, but they had spent nights together as he refused his father’s orders to return home. In fact Robert had been so volatile that by the third day Oliver ‘missed’ his flight he had threatened to fly to Paris himself. It had been at that stage that Oliver had left – without a goodbye and with the package he had been sent to collect.

He didn’t remember any conversations they had – or even if they had any – he had used her, as old Oliver once did with most women, simply to fill a space in his bed. The fact he had done so in Paris – a placed he had promised to whisk Felicity away to – was not lost on him, and the guilt rose up in him as he felt her arm interlink with his as she stood beside him now.

Nyssa looked from Oliver to Felicity and then back to Oliver, she had been made aware of the situation, of who the petite blond was, now with her arm interlinked with Oliver’s arm. It made no difference to her, she was not here to come between them, rather she hoped that with the news she brought with her, they could be of use to her.

“I know where your sister is and I have instructions to take you to her” she spoke with purpose, her hands placed simply at her side, her face void of expression – it was unnecessary to her in most circumstances.  
“How do you know?” Felicity asked, attempting to take a step forward, but Oliver’s hand guided her back  
“Because, Tommy Merlyn has her at my home, with my father, the head of the League of Assassins and you would do well to believe me”

* * *

 

The tension in the air was palpable. Felicity perched on the edge of an arm chair, Oliver pacing a patch of carpet beside her and Nyssa standing unusually still against the wall opposite them.

“Where is she?” Oliver questioned his hands running over his head  
“Once you have secured Trojan, I will take you to her” Nyssa replied her eyes stone cast  
“We don’t even know what it is?” Felicity retorted, her hand resting on Oliver’s arm in an attempt to halt his incessant pacing.

Nyssa’s eyes narrowed as she looked from Oliver to Felicity and the back to Oliver.  
“You never looked at the package I gave you in Paris?” her words were directed towards Oliver, but on hearing them it was Felicity who showed the most expression.

She heard the words as they passed over Nyssa’s lips. The moments Oliver and Felicity shared in the pool house had made her forget completely about his passport, she had not known about Paris until that very moment.

Felicity looked to Oliver, his face gave it away – unlike her, he was not surprised.

“I never made my father’s business transactions my concern” Oliver replied bluntly, unable to even glance over a Felicity – he could already imagine the face she would be sporting and he didn’t want to see it.  
“So I take it you never looked in the envelope you gave me?” Nyssa replied, her tone not one of malice, but one of surprise  
“No” Oliver replied simply  
Felicity could tell Nyssa’s eyes were lingering on her, there was something else to this story and Felicity had the distinct impression it involved her.

“What was in the envelope?” Felicity asked, unsure if she would get an answer  
Nyssa contemplated the question for a moment, it was not her place to interfere, but she had been asked a direct question – she prided herself on always giving direct answers, even when it was unlikely the person actually wanted to hear it.  
“Your name” she replied, once again steel faced “it was Robert Queen who gave Al Sa-Her, or Malcolm Merlyn as you know him, your name. It was Oliver who, it seems unwittingly, delivered it” her eyes moved between the couple as she watched Felicity shift her body away from Oliver, her position on the arm of the chair now placing her back towards him.

Felicity subconsciously turned, her hand dropping from Oliver’s arm where it had been stroking moment before. She had always wondered how Malcolm had found her and how he knew what she had made. Of course she had worked on it at Oliver’s house, tagged on to Robert’s network – a fact that had never occurred to her until now.

Oliver’s face showed a similar look of surprise tinged with a lining of guilt. He had brought her into this word, it had been his family that had destroyed her life and, complicities aside, he had helped.

“Felicity, I didn’t know” he spoke softly his hand reached for her  
She moved an inch away, just out of his reach, not to prove any point but simply because she didn’t want to be touched by him right now.  
“It’s not the time, Oliver” she replied with a muted tone, her focus switching from the floor beneath her feet back up to Nyssa.

“Where is Thea?” she questioned, aware Oliver was nodding along, from the corner of her eye  
“I can take you to her, but you need to get Trojan, you must hand it over in exchange for your sister’s life”  
Felicity tapped her index finger to her temple, processing the information that was been given.  
“If Trojan originated from you, the league of whatever, then can’t you just get more?” she spoke, externalising her internal thought process  
“The League, specifically Tommy, believes that Queen Consolidated has weaponized it and found a method of disbursing it”  
The finger tapped again at Felicity’s forehead, but it was Oliver that spoke up this time “What is _it_?”  
“It is a plant, a very poisonous one, if there was a method of overriding systems and getting it into the water or air networks it could be used to wipe out enemies swiftly” she spoke with a callous nature that was noted by Felicity, but it was not purposeful, it was simply the way she had been raised – the life of any person was but a pawn in a game of chess.

It didn’t take Felicity long to formulate the outcome in her head, a poison bomb plus a code that could gain remote access to various networks equalled a lot of death.  
“We have no access to it, I don’t even know where it’s stored” Oliver wrung his hands over each other  
“You will need to figure that out quickly. I leave tomorrow night, if I don’t return with you the League will kill Thea and come themselves for what they want. Do not think that your father’s intentions for this are more admirable, the weapon will be sold to the highest bidder”

She turned on her heels, she had told them enough – hopeful that this option would pit Oliver against Tommy and that Oliver would take the life he needed to, the one she wanted him to.

They watched her leave, unsure if they should stop her but neither willing to ask her to stay.

* * *

 

It was a startling amount of time before Oliver finally spoke up first.  
“I didn’t know about the envelope, I’m sorry” his brow was furrowed and his eyes heavyset  
“I don’t expect you would” Felicity replied tersely  
She stood up from the armchair and hovered in front of the map, looking at the area around the green pin. It was in desert area of Pakistan, nothing around it for miles. It had no name on the map, but Felicity was sure it was known by something to the locals.

She felt Oliver walking up behind her, his feet scuffing along the floor. Her face screwed up trying her best not to verbalise what her head was thinking at this point. It was silly, irrelevant in the circumstances of Thea’s predicament and known that QC housed a weapon that could be exponentially dangerous in the wrong hands – or any hands for that matter – but when his hand touched her shoulder it was like hitting a release button and she could feel everything spilling out of her lips.

“You went to Paris, you remember this?” – _why did she care?_  
Oliver nodded, his answer to both questions.  
“You remember things you don’t tell me?” – _again, why did she care? She shouldn’t_ she chastised herself  
He nodded slowly, a breath passing over his lips as she turned to face him. Her eyes searched his, desperate for something – she didn’t know what – but something, that would remove this feeling in the pit of her stomach.

_Don’t ask him that_ her head pleaded with her, but it was too late, the words were already coming out “Did you sleep with her?”  
Oliver looked at her, her eyes dotted with a dewy wetness – a tear on the precipice of falling down her cheek. She would have done the math, known that it had not been long after their ‘break up’ that he had gone to Paris. He knew she would be imaging where he was verses where she was – alone and pregnant in jail.

He should have told her the truth – better now than at another time down the road, but his guilt was eating him up and he couldn’t bear to add to that look forming across her face. Given he only expected to stay a little while longer with her, perhaps it would not do any harm to tell her what he thought she wanted to hear.

“No” the lie came softly from his lips  
She felt herself sigh, she was not sure why she wanted to hear that answer. She knew he had every right to be with anyone he wanted, logically she knew all of this, but her heart wanted something else – he heart wanted to believe that he had struggled to move on from her and that he at least missed her for a little time.

She shook her head back into focus, there were more important things to deal with.  
“How do we get Trojan?” Oliver questioned, as if reading Felicity’s mind  
“I don’t know, I can’t break that encryption, it’s set with fingerprint access” she pursed her lips, her forehead crinkling in thought “unless I didn’t have to break the encryption, but we” her voice trailed off as she walked around in circles until Oliver stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm  
“Unless?” he questioned, he hadn’t heard the rest of her sentence  
“Unless I didn’t have to break the encryption, but remove it” she nodded along with her thoughts  
Oliver shrugged, he didn’t understand her line of thinking  
“Someone sets those permissions, if I can change them, I can remove them and we can find where it’s stored”  
“And get it” Oliver said finishing her sentence  
She nodded, paused and then said “but then what?”

He looked up at her question, his eyes fixated on hers. He was unsure what she meant and his mannerisms gave that away.  
“Oliver if this weapon does what she said it does and we hand it over to them, what do you think they’re going to do with it?”  
Oliver shrugged, truth was he had only been focusing on getting Thea back – not at the cost that would come at.  
“If we leave it, it will be sold and used for the same purpose” he replied, his head now seeing the bigger picture  
“If they could have sold it, they would have already, they haven’t so there must be a reason. I think the built in code in the weapon, the one that would disburse it into a chosen network, they must not have it” she was working through the problem in her head, ticking over with each step she took around the room “but Tommy would” she breathed “I think”

“I don’t understand” Oliver replied, acutely aware he often didn’t understand her when she was talking shop  
“The code I created could do what they need, what she said they needed it to do” Felicity spoke, rolling each word as it came from her brain “I uploaded it to Tommy’s network, there was a self-destruct built in, but if he knew what he was looking for it could be reconstructed and used. They would only need the lower levels of it. Robert must not know this, or he would have finished it. If we hand this over to Tommy, he _will_ be able to use it”

“But if we leave it here, it won’t be long till Robert figures it out and then we lose both Thea and the weapon”  
“I’m not suggesting we leave it, we should definitely steal it, but-“ she looked up at him, aware this was not going to be well received “we can’t hand it over, we have to destroy it”  
“That would sign Thea’s death warrant” Oliver said, his tone deadly serious  
“I know” Felicity said, barely above a whisper, she hated herself for saying it

Oliver’s feet thumped a path from the couch to the doorway and back again his eyes fixated on the floor, his hands scraping over his scalp.  
“No” he said calmly “we give them what they want, you can find a way to stop them from using it later”

Felicity shook her head softly, it pained her to say this “Oliver, we can’t give this to them in exchange for Thea. If we do, millions of people could die”  
His face turned stiff, his fist clenched beside his waist.  
“She’s my sister. If it was you-“ he started  
“If it was me” Felicity interrupted “then I would hope you would put your feelings aside, one life for a million Oliver, it’s maths”

He kicked a cushion that had fallen onto the floor clear across the room as he cursed loudly, this was an impossible decision.

* * *

 

First things first, they needed to know what they were dealing with. The decision had been made that Oliver, Felicity and Diggle would take Trojan. The plan was a basic one, and one that wouldn’t keep their actions hidden for long, but either way – whether they destroyed it, or took it on the plane tonight – discretion wasn’t particularly high on the list.

Oliver would call the person who set the authorities away from his desk. Felicity would swoop in, hack his files and remove the required authority on that file. Diggle would be waiting for instructions where to go and then he would go and collect it, once he had it, Felicity would reinstate the original authorities, the security system would log it as a mere fault and that would buy them enough time. Job done.

It all started accordingly to the plan. Oliver demanded to speak to the short guy with the bald patch and glasses that didn’t have any clue just how important his job was. He moved swiftly behind Oliver, trying to tell him it was not really his job to fix any computer issues he might be having, but at the same time clearly too afraid to say no to the boss.

Felicity waited until they disappeared into the elevator before she slid into the office and closed herself in.

He had been clever enough to password protect his screen before leaving with Oliver, but it took Felicity only a few minutes and less key strokes to get in. The system was less complex than she thought it would be – or than she would design it to be if this was her job in this little IT department office.

She found what she was looking for and removed all the access. Dig was questioning already where he should be heading, eager to get this over and done with.

Felicity saw the location and made a split second decision.  
“It’s here, not off site” she mumbled to herself.  
It was in the subbasement level – which she wasn’t even aware they had. She checked the route and any protected doors. If she disarmed the carded doors, she had a window of about five minutes before they would come back on. She figured that was not enough time for Dig to come in, but it was enough for her to get down there.

“It’s here, I’m getting it” she said quickly into the coms which both Oliver and Dig were tied into.  
She heard Dig’s voice come back with a defined “Felicity, no” and she assumed Oliver would be frowning his disapproval right about now, but would still have the short IT man in his presence.

She grabbed a branded bag from the corner of the office spilling its contents on the floor. She checked her ID badge, clipping it to her shirt pocket – it wouldn’t get her through the doors normally, but once she hit the command to disable them she would make it look like she could to any security guard.

She took a breath and pushed the execute command. She now had 5 minutes.

She ran, with the bag in her hand to the elevator. She had already seen the building schematics, there was an elevator that only went from the top floor of the building to this floor and then to the sublevel. The doors opened and she almost jumped inside, there was a swipe card slot beside the SB button, she breathed in hoping it worked.

Pushing the button the doors closed and the elevator whirled into motion, going down. It had worked so far.

She reached the sublevel with about 4 minutes remaining. There was a security guard who eyed her up as she walked towards the locked door. She smiled at him, rubbing a finger down the opening of her shirt – something for him to look at while she used a completely useless card against what she hoped was a completely useless door lock.

She pushed through the first door with a success and the guard’s eyes moved away from her, satisfied she was where she was allowed to be.

A second door on the left hand side of the hall had also opened to her and she was standing in a chilled room, staring at what she now knew to be Trojan. She keyed in a sequence of numbers she had written down from the file she had managed to gain access to minutes before – a ridiculous lapse in security as far as she was concerned, it was like writing your pin number on the back of your bank card.

There were two canisters in front of her, one fill with a green liquid that looked a lot like runny lime jello, the other was empty. She took both, putting them in her QC duffle bag. It was time to go, she had 2 minutes to make it back to the elevator.

She almost ran through the two doors, the guard saw, but shrugged his shoulders. She couldn’t help but think he really ought to be fired for paying so little attention to his domain.

The elevator doors opened and she prayed that the system was still offline. She pushed the button to return her to the floor from where she had come and it lit up “thank god” she muttered under her breath.

As the doors began to close she saw the light on the door lock in front flash twice green and once red – the security system had rebooted and was now operational.

She turned her coms back on once she exited the elevator to hear Oliver’s irate voice  
“Felicity? Damnit, where are you?”  
“It’s fine, I have it” she walked towards the stairwell.

Oliver caught her arm, appearing from around the corner. His face was frowning, his eyes dark towards her.  
“You shouldn’t have gone off half-cocked like that” he spoke in a low, but angry tone as he guided her through the stairwell door  
“I had a short window of time Oliver, I did what needed to be done” she replied, shaking her arm from his grip  
“You have it?”  
She nodded  
“Then we have a plane to catch”  
She nodded again.

“You make the arrangements for tonight, I’ll find Lyla and ask her to stay with Amelie”  
Oliver eyes looked questioningly at Felicity “You’re not coming”  
She returned his looked with her own glare “Yes I am”  
He contemplated arguing with her, but it seemed apparent they were at a stalemate.

She was surprised he didn’t ask to hold the bag, but she was glad that he didn’t as he got in with Dig and drove off, and Felicity got in a town car and headed the opposite direction.

* * *

  
Felicity paced the kitchen of the empty house, the two canisters sitting on the kitchen bench. She knew the decision she was making and the consequences that would come from it. She knew this would throw everything off its axis and that because of this one decision there might not be any coming back from it.

She didn’t know if it was the right choice that she was making.

But, she had made it. She had thought it through – gone through every possibility. Every cause and consequence, every action and reaction – none ended well, but this one she felt would end in the least amount of causalities.

So when the doorbell rang she put one of the canisters in the bag and took a breath. She had made the decision and she was willing to live – or die – with the consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spell it colour - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;) Also drink some Tea, it's good for you!!!!
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.


	11. Always

“What is this?” Sara questioned looking into the bag Felicity had handed her  
“I need you to keep this safe, Sara, please, take it and hide it. I will come back for it within a week, if I don’t take it to your father, then take the money from the bag and leave the City, okay?”

Felicity knew she was taking a risk, she knew of Sara’s connection to the Mafia, but if they could sell it, they would have already. They weren’t the immediate risk, Tommy Merlyn was and Sara could keep it away from him at least for now.

She _could_ have asked Lyla instead but Felicity was convinced this needed to stay as far from Amelie as it could. No, Felicity was choosing to put this trust elsewhere this time, that was her decision and it was a decision she was confident in.

Sara listened to every word Felicity said and nodded slowly. Felicity noted the look of trepidation forming behind Sara’s eyes. She hugged her close.  
“Three days” Sara spoke softly, hugging Felicity tightly to her chest  
“Three days” Felicity repeated, breaking from the hug “Thank you”

Sara zipped up the bag and sighed heavily.  
“Whatever you’re doing, take care” she smiled softly, walking towards the apartment door  
Felicity smiled mutely in reply, nodding her agreement as she opened the door and watched Sara leave.

As the lift doors opened for Sara, Lyla and Amelie stepped out of the same cab. Sara’s eyes dropped, refusing to meet with Lyla’s as they brushed past each other.

Felicity watched as both Lyla and Amelia walked towards her, she knew the next favour she would ask was going to be the hardest one of them all.

“Momma” Amelie smiled, skidding her feet along the tiled floor of the lobby before reaching Felicity with open arms.  
Felicity crouched down and hugged the small girl tight against her chest, breathing her in, committing that feeling of her tiny arms around neck to her permanent memory.

“Go upstairs and get changed okay Melie?” Felicity smiled softly, smoothing down Amelie’s plaid school uniform skirt  
Amelie smiled and nodded simultaneously as she skipped into the house and crawled up the stairs.

Felicity fought back the tears – the unknowing of what they were about to embark on plagued her like it had many years before and it was something Lyla picked up instantly.  
“Don’t go” Lyla said closing the door behind her as she followed Felicity into the apartment  
“Dig told you?” Felicity questioned, her arms wrapped around her waist, her hands rubbing down her elbows  
“He didn’t need to, your face says it all” Lyla replied, concern canvassing her own face  
“We’ll be back within a week, I’m sure” Felicity sighed heavily  
“No, you’re not sure, that’s why you have that face” Lyla touched Felicity’s arm, her eyes studying her friend “don’t leave that little girl. I asked you to do it once and you should never have to do that again”

“If there is a chance that I can destroy whatever Tommy thinks he has of the Overwatch code, then that will be worth it. That’s why I’m going, that’s why I _have_ to go” Felicity responded, walking towards the large window behind her “I need you to take Amelie, take her away from here. Don’t come back unless Oliver or I call you” her eyes were focused out towards the City “Please, I – _we_ , need you to keep her safe” Felicity finished, turning her face back towards Lyla.

Although she didn’t agree with the decision, Lyla nodded in response.  
“Amelie’s passport is in the bag along with enough money to take her somewhere she’ll enjoy. If anything happens and we don’t come back there are instructions to a trust Oliver set up for her, I’ve made it almost untraceable, withdraw the money and move on, please”  
Felicity realised the enormity of what she was asking Lyla to do, but neither of them were naïve to this world they were involved in.

Whatever side came looking for Amelie, Felicity was ensuring that they wouldn’t find her.

“There is a phone in there too, we will call if we come back” Felicity caught her word if and her heart sunk deeper, it was something she needed to consider  
“When” Lyla corrected, her hand laid gently on Felicity’s shoulder “I’m going to go pack a few things”  
Lyla began to walk away when she saw Felicity’s body beginning to falter as her tough stance was fading fast.  
“This isn’t it Felicity, you have more fire in you than anyone I’ve ever met, it’ll turn out okay” Lyla encouraged before making her way up the stairs.

Felicity sighed towards the City – she really did hope that was the case. Regardless after the choices and plans she had just made, she doubted that if they returned, they would return to the same life they had been trying so hard to build. She knew Oliver’s forgiveness for hiding Trojan would not come easily – if at all.

The door clicked open in the distance behind her, Felicity didn’t move from her position, her eyes set firmly out the window as she tried to calm herself and maintain her strong exterior.

“Is she here?” Oliver said from behind as his footsteps echoed the path he took towards her  
“She’s upstairs, you should go, help her pack” Felicity replied, swiping a stray tear swiftly from her cheek

They had spoken about all contingency plans in the past – when the threat from Oliver’s lineage had forced them to plan for all possible eventualities. Oliver saw the black backpack by the stairs and it became clear Felicity had asked Lyla to do what they had both planned – to take Amelie and leave.

Oliver backed away from Felicity and made his way up the stairs. He stopped in front of Amelie’s door, listening to the sweet melodic voice coming from behind it. She was singing a song from a Disney movie they had watched nights ago. He knocked then pushed the door slowly open.

He was met with Amelie’s smiling face – still not changed out of her uniform.  
“Hi princess” he smiled stepping into the room  
“Hi daddy, don’t tell mommy, I’ll get changed now” she laughed jumping up onto her bed  
“It’s okay sweetheart, I just need to talk to you for a bit okay?”  
Amelie nodded as she idly ran her fingers through her falling ponytail.

“I’m going to help you pick some of your favourite clothes and pack them in your suitcase okay?”  
Amelie cocked her head to the side, aware something was afoot.  
She scrunched her nose “why?”  
“You’re going on a little trip with Aunt Lyla, it’ll be fun”  
She looked down at the suitcase he pulled from her cupboard and then back up to him – she wasn’t buying it.  
“I don’t understand” her voice was curt as she side-eyed him opening up her drawers. She may have only been five, but she could see through him like a window.

“Amelie, mommy and daddy have to take a trip, so you and Lyla are going on one as well. It won’t be long, we’ll be back together soon” he bent down to her level, her eyes still fixed on him.

Running a hand across her face and pushing the wispy pieces of hair behind her ear, he smiled at her with everything he could muster “Amelie, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

She stood staring at him for a moment, her eyes blinking between his – left to right, right to left – looking for whatever it was her little mind needed to see.  
“Ok, if you promise” she replied meekly  
“I promise, Melie, everything will be okay” Oliver replied, cupping her small face in the palm of his hand  
“Not like that, like this” she held out her extended pinky finger to him, the smallest of smiles creasing over her mouth “you have to pinky promise”

He smiled widely back at her as he hooked his little finger around her own and their hands shook in unison.  
“Promise you’ll always come back” she smiled  
“Always” he replied softly

* * *

 

Felicity took one last look at the second canister – the one that had been empty but was now filled with a green substance that mimicked the look of the other one.

The decision weighed heavy on her, she knew it was unlikely they would fall for it for long, but all she needed was for them to believe it long enough to get Thea and leave.

She closed her eyes, expelling a long breath. She had made the choice so Oliver didn’t have to.

* * *

 

Dig knocked on Lyla’s door before stepping in the room. She smiled up at him as she folded the last of her clothes into a bag.  
“I didn’t want to leave before I had a chance to say a few things” he said, his voice deep but his tone soft  
“Well, you have the time now Johnny” she replied, pulling the zip closed on the nameless black bag  
“What you said, about how walking away for you was the wrong choice”  
Lyla nodded, remembering the conversation at the table.  
“Well it was the wrong choice for me too. We gave up on something we had that was worth fighting for” his brown eyes shone at her as he took a step forward “I should have fought for you then” his hand grazed her waist before settling on her arm

Lyla blinked down and then up, catching his gaze.  
“Fight to come back to me now, I’ll be waiting” she said softly, a hand smoothing down his cheek  
He leaned in, taking her lips onto his own. The years they spent apart melting into nothing as that gentle kiss spoke a million words and closed a gap that time had formed between them.

* * *

 

“It’s time” Oliver said stoically behind her  
Felicity nodded, zipping up the bag and putting it over her shoulder. It was time.

Felicity drew another breath with closed eyes as she heard the small patter of feet on the tiles and the sound of rolling suitcase wheels. It was time to say goodbye to her daughter.

She did her best to put a smile on her face although she knew that leaving Amelie would be harder this time. Amelie could study Felicity’s face, she would know what it meant if a single tear escaped her eye but most of all, Amelie would remember this moment.

“Hey Melie, are you all packed?” Felicity smiled, crouching down to her level  
Amelie nodded, her blue eyes wide with wonderment and speckled with fear.  
“You have fun okay baby” Felicity’s hands ran gently down Amelie’s parted hair – now long and loose across her shoulders “I’ll miss you so, so, so, much” she finished placing the three kisses on Amelie’s head

Amelie bit her quivering lip, her eyes puddling with tears she couldn’t – or wouldn’t – hold back.  
“Don’t cry baby, everything will be alright, I promise” Felicity pulled her in tightly, Amelie’s small head burrowing into Felicity’s neck, wet tears now streaming down her face, warm against Felicity’s skin.

Amelie’s tiny fame was shaking in Felicity’s arms, her sobs silent but encompassing her whole body.  
“Ssshhh, it’s alright” Felicity cooed, her hand smoothing down the crown of Amelie’s head “It’s only a few days, I promise”

Felicity felt the first tear slide from her eye, she was unable to stop them despite her best efforts. She blinked, lifting her head towards the ceiling in an effort to stem the further tears brewing behind her eyes.

She caught Oliver’s face, his eyes were tired and his face was solemn. He too looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulder, like he too knew this goodbye may be permanent.

Felicity squeezed Amelie one last time, afraid that if she held on another second she would never be able to go. She drew Amelie’s head back from her neck and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.  
“I love you baby girl, always and forever” she whispered as she stood up, brushing her hand once more through Amelie’s golden hair.

Felicity nodded for Oliver as she took a step back, afraid to look at Amelie’s tear-soaked cheeks.

Oliver scooped Amelie into his arms, lifting her against his chest, her legs swaying around his knees. As she had done with Felicity, Amelie buried her face into him, nestled against his chest with whimpered tears blotting against his grey t-shirt.

Oliver had said all he needed to say to her in the bedroom, so instead he opted to hold her tight and rock her gently in silence with her ear pressed against him listening to his heart beat.

It seemed like time didn’t matter in that moment – minutes, hours, days, months and years went past – but they stayed there, his strong arms holding her, her tiny arms wrapped across his shoulders her hands barely touching together.

Although she had only known him a fraction of her short life there was an instinctive reassurance in the sound of his heartbeat and her tears abated. With the softest of voices that only Oliver heard she whispered against his chest “I love you daddy”.  
“I love you too princess” he whispered back, kissing her head before lowering her back to the ground.

Lyla stepped forward and Amelie took her hand.  
“We’ll take lots of pictures and we’ll see you guys soon” Lyla smiled – for the benefit of Amelie

They walked off together, Lyla flashing Oliver and Felicity a soft nod that said it all – _be safe, come home, I will look after her like my own child._

Lyla looked over at Dig, his face still, showing emotion was never his strong suit – she nodded to him – _be safe, come home, I love you._

As they reached the door, Amelie dragging the rolling suitcase along behind her, she turned, let go of the suitcase, put her index finger to her eye then her palm flat across her heart and then finally her finger into a point that bounced between Oliver and Felicity _I love you both._

Felicity repeated the gesture adding two upwards fingers at the end _I love you too._  
Oliver blew her a kiss which Amelie dutifully caught with a smile before her and Lyla disappeared out the front door.

Felicity swallowed, looking at the plain white door as Oliver silently took her hand into his, his thumb rubbing a line across the back of her hand as they both stood, silent and motionless.

* * *

  
The brisk air swept around Felicity’s face as her, Oliver and Dig walked across the tarmac of the private runway towards the small plane and the cloaked figure.

“You have Trojan?” Nyssa questioned, her stance stiff against the wind whipping up the fringe of her cloak  
Felicity nodded.  
“Yes” Olive replied simple “Take me to my sister”  
“I think I need to fly this thing” Dig said, looking across the state of the art jet  
Nyssa looked at John first, nodded her acceptance and stepped aside, gesturing him to enter the plane.  
“You will see you sister soon Oliver”  
“Is she” Oliver paused, looking for the right word “okay?”  
“I have not been allowed to keep company with her, I’m sorry I cannot speak much about her, but she is alive and you will be reunited soon”

She gestured it was time for them to board the plane and one by one they did.

* * *

 

“You’ll see her soon” Felicity smiled, running a hand across Oliver’s shoulder as she walked past his seat.  
They had been in the air for some time now, no one felt much like talking so it had been mostly in silence. John was in the cockpit with Nyssa who was insisted that while she let him fly, she needed to watch over him to ensure he was capable enough, leaving Oliver and Felicity alone in the cabin.

Oliver smiled his thanks as Felicity took the seat opposite him.  
“It’s been so long, I hate to think what they’ve done to her” he sighed, his eyes drawn low, his voice wavering  
Felicity leaned forward, rubbing her hand across his knee.  
“Whatever we face, we face together, always” she spoke softly, her lips folding into the smallest of smiles  
“I want to kill him” Oliver said bluntly, his eyes catching onto Felicity’s with a steeled gaze “Tommy, I want to kill him” his fist folded tightly, he could feel his blood heating up, perhaps after all the ability to take a life was in one’s blood.

Oliver was under no illusion that his family lineage was dripping with blood – both directly and indirectly. His father had spent years drumming fighting techniques into him under the guise of teaching him a sport. He could compete in an archery competition with the best of them, he could fire a gun without recoiling and he could use a sabre – his father’s choice of fencing swords. He had never fought for anything more points on a scoreboard – but it was not outside the realm of possibility that he could – if he needed. As children he had bested Tommy Merlyn every time they had been pitted against each other. Perhaps the same could be said of them as adults.

“Oliver-“ Felicity started  
“No, if I have the opportunity Felicity, don’t stop me” Oliver’s eyes has greyed over, his composure had stiffened and his tone was direct  
Felicity knew in that moment she could not convince him otherwise and if she allowed herself to be honest she needed that resolve from him. But that was for another time, for now she just wanted to be with him – as Oliver, the first boy she ever loved.

She brushed her hair softly behind her ear, her blue eyes smiling across at him, her lips parted into an exhale.  
“I love you Oliver Queen, I did then and I do now” she breathed, her voice tender with emotion  
He looked across at her, his gaze softening as it met hers.

He gestured her up “sit with me?” he smiled his hands patting his lap  
She smiled her response as she rose from the chair and sat down on his waiting lap. His arms folded around her as she reached behind him, plucking a blanket from the table there.

She spread the blanket across the two of them before nestling her body against his, his arms holding her tightly as she laid the side of her head against his broad chest in a moment that was intimate without the need for typical intimacy.

She listened to his heart beating the low rhythmic thumping lulling her eyes closed. He melted into the warmth of her breath on his neck, a calm and measured heat lulling his eyes closed.

There they sat quiet and alone in a shared slumber – a moment of peace – until it was time, and they were at their destination.

* * *

 

John would stay with the plane as the other three made the trek through the desert to the fortress set into the cliffs.

As they drew near they were met by a figure dressed in black, his face masked by a shrouded black cowl. He held a lit torch in his hands and spoke in a dialect Felicity couldn’t decipher.

Nyssa understood his words and nodded her agreement to it before the figure began to walk a path towards the impressively large cliff face stronghold.  
“They will not meet with you tonight, you will meet with them in the morning” Nyssa relayed the message as it had been given her  
“I want to see Thea now” Oliver retorted, his voice hushed in the still air, but his tone angry  
“They have forbade it tonight, I’m sorry”

The doors opened to them and pensively Oliver and Felicity stepped inside, completely unaware of what, if anything, would befall them there.

* * *

 

They were shown to a room that had been prepared for them, its décor brimming with gold and red tones. Centuries’ old furniture sat atop hand woven rugs and all of it surrounded by walls made from hand-carved sandstone bricks. A soft breeze blew through the only window which looked out to the path they had walked down moments before.

“You should find everything you need here” Nyssa said, staying back in the doorway as Oliver and Felicity tracked a path into the room “I will come for you in the morning. I cannot allow you to leave this room” she bowed her head as she closed the heavy wooden door behind her, the sound of the locked bolt echoing over the sandstone bricks.

“I think they locked us in, should we be worried about that?” Felicity bemoaned, pressing a kiss against Oliver’s shoulder  
He shrugged “probably, but we’re here now” he smiled slightly, an arm wrapping around her shoulder “and we are here together” he had resigned himself to the fact if they wanted him dead there was little he could do about it right now.

“Felicity” he sighed, turning their bodies to face each other “whatever happens here, whatever happens tomorrow, I love you. With everything I have and with everything I am. Thank you for everything you have given my life” he swept his hand across her cheek, pulling her chin towards him, the next words meant only for her “You have given me love, the type of love I didn’t think I would ever know. You gave me a family and you gave me a home in your arms”

She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from both the warm heat of the desert air and the stirring deep inside her. Everything he had said her heart echoed in reply. The thought of every moment that pulled them apart before and every moment that could separate them in the future melted away.

None of that was relevant right now. This moment wasn’t about what had transpired or what would transpire, this moment was about a girl and a guy who were in love, wholly and completely – soul to soul – in love.

“When all this ends and you and I are far away, sitting on a beach in Bali sipping drinks from coconuts while Amelie plays in the clear blue water in front of us, I’m going to ask you a question” he smiled sweeping her hair back from her face “I’m going to ask you to marry me and I’m going to mean every word I say”

He leant in, his lips delicately pressing against her own in a kiss held for only a moment as a display of the passionate reverence with which he held her in.

Their lips balanced just above each other soft breaths passing between them in a silent moment where they both could drink in the feeling of each other.  
“When you ask” she said softly, her lips so close to his own that each movement skirted against his lips “I will say yes”

His hand glided to the back of her head, her hair weaved through his fingers as he pulled her close. The silence of the room engulfed them, the only noise the soft panted breaths passing between them.

He gently swept her closer, their lips striking against each other in a charged moment of fervour, breaking apart for a split second before careening back together. If there was ever a moment to forget the past and ignore the possible future, this was the time.

Her hands drove up the sides under his cotton t-shirt, sliding it up his body where his hands caught it, swiping it off his body in a single fluid motion. She took her own t-shirt by the hem and folded it over her head, her eyes never veering from his.

He pulled her into an embrace, their lips once again meeting together in a haste of amorous panting.

His hands ran a course down her back, blindly thumbing over her bra clasp which he released with ease. She slipped it down her arms, casting it to the floor beside them.

Her chest thrust against his, her breasts flattening against his solid frame. His hand held her tight against him an impenetrable boarder formed between his body and her own as they melded together.

Her hands traced the flex of his arms, skating the ridges of each rise and fall his body made. His arms traversed her naked back till his thumbs rested in the small of her back – her cupcake – his palms riding the rocking of her hips. Their tongues weaving across each other set in between closed-lipped tender kisses.

She broke away from the kiss first her eyes deeply entrenched with his. His hand laid gently in hers, their fingers folding against each other, entwining together with the tightest of basket weaves.

Her bottom lip slid against her grating teeth as she walked him towards the lavishly large and exquisite bed, adorned in linen that spoke to a luxurious time of kings and queens.

Lit candles danced their light across her naked breasts as she removed the rest of her clothes discarding them to the floor, her eyes beckoning him to do the same as she slipped up on to the bed, resting her body upon her knees, waiting for him with open arms and an expression of true love on her face.

She wanted to be in his arms, his love surrounding her taking her from any darkness that tarnished their lives.

She was alone for only a moment before Oliver joined her, naked on the bed, sitting atop his bent knees with his hands delicately touching every inch of her body savouring the time they were given.

A soft breeze blew over them threatening to damper out the candle light surrounding them. Oliver followed the shadows the light cast across her skin, his touch mesmerising to her in its equal parts soft and purposeful movements.

Felicity closed her eyes to the sensation, her body quivering at his touch, her heat pooling between her legs. She felt his length against her thigh, the silk thin skin gliding across her own.

As he kissed her neck and her hand traced a path across his back while her thigh rubbed against his pulsing member she prayed that this moment could last forever.

There was a pain in her pleasure as her hand moved down between his legs, rubbing across his length in a motion that caused him to suckle down on her shoulder – afraid that this might be the last time she felt his encasing arm, his tender lips against her skin or the last time she felt him brimming inside her – it was a real fear, but for now she pleaded with her mind and body to just enjoy the moment and with each passing breath and each nuzzled kiss he pressed against her skin her fears diminished into the black of the night sky outside the window.

Oliver, for his part too felt a dark cloud of foreboding hovering over the moment, if they returned to Starling he would walk away again. Unable to bear the weight of another goodbye he would leave without one – but for now, for this moment he would enjoy her body and he would bask in the pleasure of everything she gave him.

He slid himself between her lower lips, their heat parting at the intrusion – albeit a welcomed one she moaned softly through. She slid back and forth atop him, their bodies still pushed together.

She pushed him down onto the awaiting pillows as her lips followed a trail her fingers made down his chest. He adjusted himself underneath her as she straddled atop him, her navel sliding against his now dampened member.

Their bodies both ready and eager she slipped him inside, the pressure he gave her still making a silent gasp slip from her mouth. He settled his hands onto her waist as she gently rocked herself around him, cradling him inside her.

He watched her breasts bounce joyfully as her rocking pace quickened, the motion switching between a rocking and a pumping. His hands moved with her hips, up and down, back and forth and side to side – catching each movement against her walls the pressure causing him to bury the back of his head into the pillow underneath.

He moaned her name as her angles changed, dragging her hardened nipples against his chest. He thrust upwards holding her at the waist, pulsing his length deep within her.

Felicity called his name, her body lurching back upright, her hair a flicking halo above her head. They moved faster in sync – her rocking, his thrusting – until their bodies were on the cusp. He pulled back eager to milk the moments they shared and careful not to let either of them pass the threshold – not just yet.

She fell back down onto his chest, her lips caressing his in a breathless surge. Her body was eager but she held it back, enjoying the moment of slow grinding and muted sighs.

She breathed him in, a soft littering of sweat lining his skin and she cast her mind back to what he had said in the bathtub….perhaps it was the stillness of the moment or the uncertainty of the future, but if they survived this – both physically and emotionally – she would have another child with him, no reservations.

She raised her body back up, her hands resting on his broad shoulders to centre herself as she rose her heat off him before sliding him back inside in a motion that started slow but built up till he was pumping in and out of her in a symphony of slapping skin and unrestrained exclamations, building up to the cusp they had been at minutes before but this time they would ride through it and over it.

He felt her walls constricting around his length which he burrowed further inside her with a deep thrust upwards.

He felt her release coursing around him, the warmth of it intoxicating, the slick of it allowing a smoothing of each subsequent propulsion he made.

He watched her head roll around and her whole body quivering through the climax. It was only a few short moments till he also rode over the edge, spilling himself into her with his own body reduced to a quivering twitch.

Still insider her she laid her head against his chest which was rising and falling in a deep movement. She kissed him three times in between saying the simple words “I – Love – You”.

His hand stroked her head as he returned the soft expression “I love you too Felicity, always and forever”.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spell it favourite (I quite like the letter "U") - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;) 
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.


	12. Forever

The moon was still high in the black sky as Oliver and Felicity lay together in a tangled mess of sheets and limbs. Her head rested on his shoulder, the arm of which was wrapped around her, his fingers dancing a track across her naked back. Her hand idly made a pattern skipping across his chest and for those moments they were able to forget everything that would face them when the sun rose.

“Will you wear white, given – “ Oliver paused, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead “given, you know” he smiled, his fingers nudging against the soft skin of her back  
She laughed softly, her body gently shaking against his.  
“You know, white wedding dresses weren’t a sign of purity” she smiled, linking her fingers into his, her arm straddling across his chest “they were a sign of wealth, because only rich people were dumb enough to buy a dress that in reality could only be worn once”

They both knew the talk was idle given the circumstances they found themselves in, but it was a moment where they could remove themselves from that. A moment they could feel normal and talk about the future – in the hopes that fate would smile down on them and actually see to giving them one.

“Where should we get married?” Oliver asked, his head nestled into her hair, enjoying each moment he lay there  
Felicity sighed happily, visions of a white sand beach and the clear blue ocean in front of them. Far away from anyone who could take that moment from them, the two of them together with only a handful of people by their side.  
“An island, far away from anything” she replied, kissing against her shoulder  
“Or atop the Eifel Tower, a bridge in Sweden or the Polar ice caps” she smiled “it doesn’t matter to me much, I’d follow you anywhere”

Oliver nodded, he could see all that too. He could see whisking her away to Paris and anywhere else she wanted to go. It all seemed so possible, so real. But Oliver held it in his memory like he held Felicity in his arms – knowing that it was fleeting. As soon as they touched down back in Starling, he would board another plane and leave her life for good.

His heart sank a little at the thought, a tear welled behind his eye and he pushed his lips once more against her forehead holding in there for a long as he could, praying that there was another choice to be made but knowing, to him, that there wasn’t.

“Oliver?” she spoke quietly, her eyes blinking up at him  
“Mmmm?” he hummed, the reverberating tone drumming in her ear  
“Whatever happens, I love you. You’ll be my forever” she breathed the words soft against his skin like a tattoo on his heart  
“I love you too Felicity, I always will, no matter what” he replied truthfully. Yes, he would leave her soon – but he would love her forever, of that he was sure.

Her eyes softened as her body melted into the warmth of his, the cosiness of it all lulling her quietly to sleep. He stayed awake longer, his brain falling around the decisions that faced him, before exhaustion finally took him and his weary eyes drew closed.

* * *

  
The loud knock against the heavy door startled them both awake at the same time. Felicity sat upright, the red satin sheet tucked modestly around her chest as Oliver lay still, his hands scraping against his eyes, endeavouring to gain focus of them. Mere seconds later Nyssa appeared in the doorway, her eyes not shying away from the sight before her despite it being plainly obvious what had transpired.

“You have 10 minutes to ready yourselves. The exchange will take place outside the gates” Nyssa spoke calmly before she exited the room as quickly as she had entered it.

* * *

  
Ten minutes later Oliver and Felicity were standing in front of a mass of masked and highly trained assassins, the two of them looking desperately out of place.

Felicity clung to the backpack like it was a parachute and they were falling without one from 2500feet in the air. She tried to steady herself hoping that this wouldn’t be a case of them instantly recognising the forgery that she was about to give them. She just needed them to believe it for a little while.

A heavily adorned man appeared through a parted pathway in the crowd. Nyssa, who stood beside Oliver, bowed her head in recognition. Felicity made the assumption that this was Ra’s. Tommy fanned out from behind Ra’s, he looked older to Oliver, his face was drawn but expressionless. His eyes were dark, matching the clothing he wore. To Oliver this man now in front of him looked nothing like the Tommy he had known – this one was a stranger.

“I want to see my sister” Oliver spat, unaware and frankly uncaring of any customs he may have trod on by speaking first

Ra’s nodded towards the sea of black and Thea appeared from behind them flanked either side by two cloaked men much larger than her in size.

Oliver’s eyes starred down at his little sister, it had been so long since his eyes had rested upon hers. She was 19 when he last saw her in the flesh, but unlike Tommy she looked not a day older. She was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, her hair was shorter now, cut just below her jawline. She would blink up at him a few times before she stayed looking at the ground between her feet. Oliver noticed she didn’t register Felicity, which didn’t not seem that strange given the lapse in time and Felicity’s altered appeared. But still, it plagued his mind for a few moments – not that she didn’t recognise Felicity but more so that she didn’t even _register_ Felicity’s presence. In fact – while she looked at him – Oliver felt her looks were more out of obligation than recognition.

“Thea, thank god, are you okay?” Oliver stumbled over his words taking three quick steps forward before he was stopped by a sword to his throat  
“Trojan” Tommy demanded extending his palm towards Felicity, his razor sharp sword tauntingly against Oliver’s throat.

Felicity starred him down as she flung her arm outwards, the bag gripped in her hand swinging in the slight desert breeze.

Tommy took a step back from Oliver to stare across at Felicity’s unwavering grip. She had promised herself that she would not show fear of this pitiful man. She would not give him that satisfaction. Her daughter was safe, he could not touch her – whatever he did to her she would not break her resolve

Tommy starred at her, wishing to elicit some form of fright on her face but he got nothing. He hated that woman with every fibre of his being. He was eager, almost maddeningly so, to see the red of her blood on his sword. He sheathed his sword before swiping the bag from Felicity’s hand – saddened a little that even his sudden movement hadn’t caused to break her stance.

“You have what you want, now let Thea go” Oliver demanded, his hand outstretched, beckoning Thea closer

“Al Alfahd* has always been free to leave” Ra’s began as Thea stepped forward moving her hands from behind her back revealing two janbiyas, a dagger with short curved blade and a medial ridge  
“Thea?” Oliver shook his head against the realisation of what was playing out before him  
“My name is Al Alfahd and my place is here” she spoke in a voice that was unfamiliar to Oliver – a voice so far removed from his baby sister

“It seems _our_ sister has made her choice” Tommy grinned, his emphasise on ‘ _our_ ’ did not go unnoticed.  
“Thea, this isn’t where you belong” Oliver pleaded, his hand tightly encasing Felicity’s  
Thea’s expression was muted, her eyes stared straight ahead, almost through him.  
“Thea” Oliver called again, his voice cracking from the realisation that she wasn’t with him anymore “What did you do to my sister?” Oliver spat, his attention back towards Tommy, their faces mere inches apart  
“Our sister Oliver, her and I share the same father, and now we share the same path”

Oliver’s face contorted with the emotional pain of it. His body felt crushed by the heavy dark waves as it had done the first time he lost her. His eyes pleaded with her but she gave him nothing.  
Felicity saw the crowd around them ominously close in.  
“Oliver” she tugged on his arm “we need to go”  
He shrugged her back, his hand still outstretched towards Thea, begging her with everything he had just to take it.

Tommy drew out his shiny ornate sword once more, a look of malice greedily filling his face.  
“And now, you both die”  
Oliver didn’t blink away from Thea as Tommy raised his sword-wielding hand above his head, bearing his centre and readying himself to strike. His arm moved downwards, trailing the sword along with it, milliseconds passed in slow motion before Nyssa stepped in front, catching Tommy’s wrist in her hand.

Tommy’s face went from malice to wrath in a split second as he prepared his free hand to strike out at the one who dared to interrupt him. He looked to Ra’s first who shook his head, no.  
“Father, I have laid down with this man. As your daughter I ask that you spare his life, as is a custom due me” she spoke calmly and deliberately with little emotion peeking through her voice

Felicity heard the words as they came from her mouth and while she was aware of the more pressing matters at hand her mind drew quickly to the conclusion she’d rather not acknowledge – Oliver had lied to her.

If Ra’s was surprised by this revelation his face did not show it. In a creed that was seeped in long-standing tradition, his daughter had made a valid request – one he would grant.  
“Lower your sword Al Mubtadi. You will not be spilling his blood here”

Oliver finally registered what was going on around him and he heard in all in a slow motion replay – Robert was not Thea’s father, Moira had slept with Malcolm Merlyn – Thea would not be returning with them – Tommy had raised a sword against him – Nyssa had stopped it and… Oliver blinked realising what Nyssa had truthfully claimed and a quick glance back at Felicity showed Oliver that she had heard it too.

Tommy’s face was twisted with anger and his voice screamed out in frustration until he saw Felicity and realised the same request could not be made for her benefit. He went to strike fast against her in case his lust for vengeance be stolen from him once again.

At the same split second there was a roar above them, a trail of smoke downward and then a earth shattering crash that simultaneously erupted into a cloud of fire and smoke as the explosion propelled all around it backwards.

Jolted from the suddenness of it all, Felicity and Oliver snapped back to reality. They didn’t need to gather their bearings or formulate a plan, bit their eyes said the same thing. It was time to run, run towards their way out of this place.

* * *

  
Dig fired another missile into the stunned crowd before noticing Oliver and Felicity scrambling up the hill below him. He slung the weapon over his shoulder, ever thankful Lyla had seen to packing him some ‘toys’ for the trip, although he dare not ask her where she had acquired them from.

He met their running pace beside them  
“Our ride out of here is ready to leave once we’re on board” Dig yelled across at the throwing his hand in the direction of the awaiting ride

* * *

  
In a rush of time – which felt like seconds – later, they were up in the air and finally settled into what had just transpired.

Felicity was pacing the cabin and Oliver was sitting with his head buried in his hands.  
“They have Thea and they have the weapon” he cursed, his fingers pushing against his scalp, combing through his neatly trimmed hair.  
“Not exactly” Felicity replied, unable to look at Oliver right now  
He looked up at her pacing, the elephant in the room was clear, but for now they were both choosing to ignore it.  
“What do you mean? We handed it over” Oliver spoke, his brow furrowed  
“Not exactly. We gave them something, but it wasn’t Trojan” Felicity replied, absently chewing on her fingernail “I switched them out before we left Starling”

Oliver rose from his seat, processing everything that was being said.  
“You switched them out? Were you going to tell me?” his tone was gruff as he stepped towards her  
Finally she turned to face him, her back straight and her face stoic.  
“I did what I had to do” she responded bluntly  
“That was my sister’s life at risk” his demeanour stiffened, his voice raised  
“I did what you weren’t able to Oliver, I couldn’t let you hand over a biological weapon on a whim” she realised she was angry so her words to him were not the best chosen ones  
“My sister was not a whim Felicity” he roared back, his hands skating across his head in frustration  
“You would have killed thousands to try and save one, that is a whim Oliver”  
She could hear herself, every word and every inflection within that word. It was harsh, but it was the truth. Oliver had made a choice to try and save Thea – a choice that would have endangered countless other people. Felicity had made the choice to disregard his decision.

The look on his face right now as he starred down at her was one of the consequences she had been expecting to face.  
“How could you do that?” Oliver spat  
“The same way you could look me in the face and lie to me” Felicity retorted in equal vitriol – she wished she hadn’t, but she couldn’t take it back now

It was Oliver pacing now.  
“I didn’t think you needed to know” Oliver replied, his voice softening just slightly.  
He had lied to her and he would soon crush her in a way she would probably never forgive him for – but that was a choice he was making and a consequence he was willing to face.

“I guess we both keep our secrets then don’t we Oliver? Only my secret saved the lives of thousands. Your secret just covered you own ass” Felicity shook her head slowly, the betrayal written sadly across her face as she disappeared into the cockpit, where she stayed the remainder of the trip.

* * *

  
The flight home seemed shorter as the plane touched down in the private airstrip. It was dark, the night was heavy, damp with the smell of recently fallen rain. The orange glow of the lights danced across the puddles left on the tarmac as they disembarked the plane in silence.

Oliver had only one bag slung across his shoulder and as he watched Felicity and John walk on ahead of him he stopped and sighed. He would be going a different direction from here.

He watched her widen the gap between them and despite the anger with which they had last spoken to each other he knew that he was letting the love of his life out of his grasp. His bottom lip quivered, words wanting to come out of his mouth. He wanted to call her name, to take her one last time in his arms and beg her forgiveness for what he was about to do.

His eyes felt heavy as he blinked them closed, casting a stray tear from them. He steadied himself and whispered to only the wind a heartfelt “goodbye” before he turned to the right and headed towards a different waiting plane.

Felicity stopped, for a reason she couldn’t explain, her hair whipping around her face and the trepidation of forthcoming rain heavy against her skin. She turned, surprised to see Oliver no longer directly behind her. She searched the path towards the plane they had just stepped off of but he was nowhere to be seen.

She pulled back her hair, holding it tightly in her palm as she swayed her head left to right looking for his figure. She saw him, a distance away, walking towards another plane, a plane that had blinking wings and the lights on – it was a plane that was readying itself to go somewhere.

Felicity didn’t notice John had stopped walking when she had and she certainly didn’t notice him toying with something in his pocket underneath his sweaty palms. She didn’t know the promise he had made to Oliver, nor did she know that he was struggling with the enormity of it now.

Before he could act – one way or the other – she had taken off in a full sprint towards Oliver.

“Oliver” she cried out as he put one foot on the step of the plane.  
His eyes screwed shut, expelling more tears that had been forming behind them. He dare not turn around – he dare not see her face.  
“Oliver, what are you doing?” Felicity stammered, catching her breath as she stood a few feet from him

He took a deep breath and turned to face her.  
“I’m going to Russia” he spoke determinatively  
“I don’t understand, you were just..” Felicity stammered over the words, looking from Oliver to the plane and back again. It was clear as day, it was written all over his face – he had planned to leave without saying a word.

“You were just going to leave?” she questioned, her head cocked to the side, her eyes turned up in confusion  
John finally reached them, his hands poised in his pockets.  
“It’s the only way to keep you safe Felicity, you and Amelie” Oliver replied, nodding towards John, _it was time he took Felicity_

Felicity’s eyes narrowed in on Oliver, her lips poised on her next words. She felt John take another step forward.

She braced her hand out behind her and towards him.  
“I love you as my brother John Diggle, but so help me if you take one more step towards me I will kick the shit out of you, do we have an understanding?”  
John backed off “I’ll wait in the car” he said diplomatically before walking back the way he had come.

“So you were going to have him take me an Amelie somewhere weren’t you, and you would take the martyr approach and just leave without saying anything” Felicity said bitterly, her hand holding back the locks of blond hair the wind was sending spiralling across her face

“I’m doing what I think is best Felicity. I have no way of keeping you and Amelie safe here, so if your anger at me is the price I pay then so be it” he replied, his eyes heavy with guilt but strong in his belief that this was the right choice  
“No” she said sternly, taking a full step towards him “No. You don’t get to walk into our lives just to walk out of it when you think it’s getting too hard. Your child’s life is not a god damn revolving door Oliver”  
“Dammit Felicity, this isn’t about what’s hard, this is about keeping you two safe and I can’t, I can’t do it now and I can’t do it in the future. This is all I know how to do”  
“No, it’s about you making a stupid ass decision without even thinking that maybe it’s the wrong one. You made a choice when you came into our lives Oliver, I asked you if you were all in and you told me you were. Running away now is not all in”

“Felicity-“  
“I’m not finished. When you said you wanted to be with me, to be a _family_ that means that you take _everything_ , you take the good, the bad and the ugly. It doesn’t mean when you face an obstacle you leave”  
He could see her chest rising and falling with a ferocity he had not witnessed before. Her eyes were starring him down, but he saw the glistening tears forming in the corner the lights from the plane catching them as they wet against her eyelashes.

“If I stay they will come for you, if you come with me they will use you against me. What choice do you think I have Felicity? You can hate me all you want, but provided you and Amelie are okay, then that is fine by me” he went to turn, eager to leave this moment before he saw just how much she was hurting  
“That’s bullshit and you know it”  
He turned his head back towards her, surprised by the words she chose. He had not seen her this way, this angry.  
“That is a bullshit answer you’re going to tell yourself to make yourself feel better about your shitty decision to walk away from us Oliver, and you know it”

“What should I tell our daughter?” she questioned as the wind picked up, sweeping the coat upwards around her legs, her blond hair now a waving crown behind her head “Tell me, what do I tell her?” she gestured back towards the City  
“Tell her that I love her and I’m sorry”  
“No” Felicity shook her head, the tears now burning tracks down her cheeks “No, Oliver if you want her to know that, then you tell her. _You_ look her in the face and _you_ tell her that you are leaving her behind. If you think this choice is the best one, then you go, _you_ tell her that. I will not lie to our daughter anymore. I won’t do it Oliver. If you want to break her heart, then you have the guts to tell her yourself” her lips quivered with each word, but her voice never wavered and her tone never broke

“Felicity, I love you and I love Amelie but I don’t see any other way through this” his face softened, desperate to take her in his arms to show her how much this was killing him but knowing he couldn’t

Felicity shook her head, letting her hand drop to her side, releasing her hair to fly in different directions behind her, the wind no longer battering it against her face. The tears on her face felt like ice against her skin as the temperature around them dipped like an Artic chill.

“Oliver you promised me a forever” she said, her voice low and speckled with pain as she raised her hand towards the plane “This is your forever moment Oliver, if you take my hand and come with me we will figure this out together, no matter what. But if you get on that plane, if you walk away from this and you leave us, then you choose a forever without us. You don’t get to come back from that. You don’t get to ever be a part of our lives again. So what will it be Oliver? Make your choice, choose your forever”

She sniffed back the rest of the words she wanted to say, she wanted to plead with him not to go, she wanted to punch him in his perfect face for even thinking of leaving and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go – but he had to make this choice – he had to choose.

Oliver looked back towards the plane and then back towards Felicity – a vision of blond hair and soft cream skin with her hand outstretched to him and her eyes bearing down on him.

_Choose your forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Al Alfahd (الفهد ) The Cheetah
> 
>  
> 
> I spell it favourite (I quite like the letter "U") - I'm not American so please accept my British equivalent. You may learn to love it ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading, always willing to hear your thoughts.


	13. Shadows

It felt like an eternity that they stood there, locked in a battle of sorts. Oliver was trying – trying to weigh up every conceivable outcome, every moment that he would miss, every minute he would regret – he was trying.

He swallowed hard against the cold wind, its chill biting against his nose, his eyes fluttering against the pressure it bore down on him.

He looked back towards the plane, the whirling of the engine beating down against his ears like a tormenting musical accompaniment to a decision he had to make.

He was trying.

His mind ran through futures both with her and without her – traversing the differences between staying and leaving.

He was no strategist, not a man that could see far into the future. He had no well thought out plan and no fully conceived notion that all would end well whatever his choice.

He was trying.

And then he saw her. He saw her like he saw her all those years ago – him leaning against the car, full of bravado and entitlement, her walking with Thea, a wave of jet black hair rolling like a silk flag in the wind.

He had pretended not to notice her, pretended that she was an afterthought after greeting Thea, but Oliver had always known the truth – as his memory returned to him, so too did the overwhelming sense of pull he felt towards her. He could never describe it, even now if you asked him what it was that he saw first he couldn’t tell you – he just saw _her_.

And now, in this same moment he saw only her with her palm open to him, sitting just beyond his fingertips.

 _Choose your forever_  
He was trying.

He looked at her again, her blue eyes like a kaleidoscope of tear stained colours reflecting the lights shimmering around them.

He saw her again, this time as the clouded figure on the lonely beach. The one who had urged him to get up, to move, to survive, the one who he reached for and the one who he longed to grab hold of. But she was only a mirage, an ever moving figment of his imagination.

He saw her again, this time across the room of a cigar stained casino. A vision in red with soft blond curls unwittingly pulling him closer as he moved through the room.

Oliver saw every moment with her thereafter. His fingers could feel the sensation of her skin against them, he could smell the lingering scent of her skin as she lay embraced in his arms, he could see each curve her body took and the creaminess of her milk skin and he could taste her lips on his – their dewy softness, the peached ripeness of their colouring – everything about her he could see.

He was trying.

He looked towards the plane the cold metal stairs issuing his ultimatum, before his eyes rested on her once more.

It was then he saw Amelie. Her gapped smile that lit up her whole face without falter, her blue eyes that saw right through him and made his heart whole. Amelie – she had loved him unconditionally, freely and with every hope in the world.

 _Choose your forever._  
They were his forever.

“Felicity” he breathed, his voice carrying over the sound of the engines behind them “I’m sorry”  
Felicity narrowed her eyes, her lips quivering against the possibility that he could leave her standing there, alone and with her arm stretched out into empty air.  
“I’m sorry I ever considered this an option” he lay his hand into hers, his much larger palm fully encasing hers

She fell into him a breath finally returning to her body. The strong façade she had built around this moment came crashing down and she wept against his chest as his arms enveloped her, holding on to her with every ounce of strength he had.

“I’m so sorry Felicity. I just didn’t see any other way” he cried against her splay of blonde locks, the emotion crashing over him like a tsunami.

* * *

  
The air was heavy with the blanket that midnight gave the City. Felicity had called Sara and asked her to meet them in a back alley of a forgotten part of town. The decision had been made, Oliver, Felicity and Dig would take the weapon as far away as they could to buy them some time to figure out their next move.

Lyla would stay with Amelie in a place that both Oliver and Felicity had forbade her to tell them about. They needed to not know that information – in case there came a time that someone tried to illicit the same from them. She was safe and for now that was all that mattered.

A stray cat barged through a collection of rubbish bins sending an ungodly crash echoing through the alley way.

Oliver – despite the trepidation of the situation – blew out a soft laugh.  
Felicity looked up at him, her hand still encased in his – as it had been since he had made his choice on the tarmac.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about the first time I saw you, again, again” he smiled, pausing over his words “in an alleyway like this, I bet those guys are still haven’t lived down being beaten by a girl”  
Felicity smiled back at him, the memory of it still fresh in her mind. It had been about two lives that had been catapulted in different directions only to collide back together setting up the baseline for everything that came after.

Looking towards the end of the alleyway Felicity saw a shadowed figure taking a path towards them. The three distinct sets of footsteps walking in sync together. As the figure passed under a muted flickering light on the back doorstep of a pizza parlour, Felicity recognised Sara and breathed a sigh of relief she didn’t even know she was holding.

“I’m glad you guys are okay” Sara said quietly, her hands wringing over each other  
“For now, but we need to leave the City as soon as we can” Felicity replied, her eyes taking note of Sara’s anxious demeanour.

Felicity looked around the alleyway, her eyes hooding over as hairs at the back of her neck flexed against her coat. They weren’t alone.

“Sara, what have you done?” Felicity whispered, her eyes pleading with Sara  
Sara folded her lips into each other, a single tear slipping from her eye.  
“Sara” Felicity repeated, her head slowly shaking back and forth in disbelief

Oliver could feel it too, the sense that there were at least a dozen sets of eyes looking down at them. He patted the gun in his shoulder holster – he had a full cylinder but even if he had perfect aim in shadowed night, there was no way it would be enough.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know what to do” Sara sniffed, her heart heavy at the sight of betrayal written across Felicity’s face.

Felicity couldn’t speak, her words trapped in the lump in her throat. She had made a choice to trust someone and she had been wrong.

“Well Ms Smoak, we do thank you for practically gift wrapping Trojan for us” a distinctive female voice spoke up from the shadowed corner behind Sara

Felicity knew the voice the instant she heard it.  
“And it’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Queen” Amanda Waller continued, stepping out into the same light that bathed across Sara

“Don’t blame Ms Lance too much, we offered her a way out of her predicament, she took it”  
“Oh, I don’t blame a mouse for being eaten by a snake Amanda” Felicity retorted, the steel of her eyes hardening as she stared her down  
“A snake now, I suppose you have called me worse things. Regardless, we were always your best hope Ms Smoak, we can keep that weapon out of the wrong hands”

“Your hands are the wrong hands, you don’t think I remember what you’ve done, what you’re capable of” Felicity spat, her whole body launching forward.

Oliver caught her around the waist as at least four loaded weapons showed themselves to be pointed directly at them.

“What we’ve done Ms Smoak”  
Felicity glared at her, fisting her hand, her body pulling against Oliver’s grip.  
“We could have helped you Sara, you can’t trust her”  
“I’m sorry” was all Sara could muster as she dropped her head low

“Ms Lance, we thank you for your assistance. Your slate is clean and you have everything you need, you’re free to go and disappear”  
Sara mouthed another apology before she ran off in the direction she had come, the depth of the night completely disappearing her from view.

“How did you know about it?” Felicity questioned, her body relaxing enough that Oliver left only one hand cautiously around her waist  
“We’ve always known about it Ms Smoak. There isn’t anything I don’t know. Take for instance the enjoyable sights your daughter is seeing in New York right now”

“You stay away from our daughter” Oliver growled, his hand readying itself over the holstered weapon  
“There is no need for violence Mr Queen, we have no interest in your offspring. I use that merely as an example of what I _do_ know and what I _could_ do with the knowledge. Now, I trust concludes our little pissing contest”

She turned and took two deliberate steps away before she turned back to look at Oliver and Felicity.  
“Leave the chips where they fall Felicity, it’s done”  
She turned back around, took one further step and then looked back over her shoulder, her finger poised in the air.  
“Plus I hear another plane has just landed and the occupants are some pretty angry assassins so I suggest you deal with them instead”

With that she left, followed by those who had been hiding amongst the shadows of the alleyway.

“The League is here already?” Oliver said ominously, echoing the same thought Felicity was having – her diversion had not bought them enough time.

“We need to get to QC, make sure everything is destroyed, every reference of Trojan, ever trace so it can’t be replicated” Felicity decided, sure that would be one of the League’s first stops.

* * *

  
QC wasn’t far across town and it took barely 10 minutes to reach it through the deserted roads. There was no time to explain much of anything to the night guards as Oliver raced through the security gate, setting of the screeching siren of the metal detector – they went to stop him as Dig and Felicity followed him through, but it was Oliver Queen – his last name was on the side of the building, so, shrugging to each other, they decided against it.

“Dig I need you to go to the hub floor, plug this directly into the server” Felicity directed, handing him a small USB device “it will give me the access I need. When I’m done, we’ll call you to pull it”  
John nodded his understand, opting to take the stairs to the required floor.

The elevator doors opened and both Felicity and Oliver stepped inside, the expedience required of them hanging over them like an expectant rain fall.  
“Oliver, go to the office Sara was in, look for anything she wrote down, any notes, anything, destroy it all. I’ll be in your office destroying any trace of it from the system”

Oliver nodded as the doors opened to the foyer of Level 40. Oliver went to turn left towards Sara’s temporary office when Felicity caught his arm in her hand.  
“Oliver, when I’m in the system I can only narrow the search so much”  
“What are you saying?” Oliver questioned, noting the worrisome look on her face  
“I’m setting a virus free in Queen Consolidated’s databank, there is a very high chance that much, much more could be infected”  
Felicity sighed, she knew the ramifications, but it seemed Oliver couldn’t quite grasp them.  
“What are you willing to risk Oliver? This could bankrupt QC, all the research, the patents, everything could disappear, but I don’t have the luxury of time to take on this. It’s taking a figurative sledgehammer to it Oliver”

“I’ll risk whatever it takes to ensure another weapon can’t be made with our help” he nodded “even if that means this company goes down with it”

Felicity slowly nodded, releasing his arm.

* * *

  
“Okay Dig, is it in there?” Felicity spoke through the coms link, staring at the booted up computer monitor in front of her  
“All ready down here” the response came swiftly

Felicity took a breath as she tapped out the virus’ rough parameters and hoped they would do something to contain it. Regardless of what she thought of Robert and Moira Queen this company employed thousands of people and was a cornerstone in the developmental field – destroying countless hours’ work was not a task she took lightly, nor one she found pleasure in, the collateral damage from this could be astronomical.

She hit the execute command and slumped down in the chair, in about 10 minutes the job would be done, everything relating to Trojan and Overwatch would be destroyed along with whatever else the sweep mowed down.

Felicity rested her eyes, allowing the last 48 hours to finally wash over her. It was a sudden burst of reality smacking her across the face – Thea was lost to them, they had barely escaped with their lives, she had almost lost Oliver, her trust in Sara was misplaced and she didn’t know when she would be able to see Amelie again.

Felicity took a breath, steadying her head in her palms, her elbows rested on the edge of the desk as she wished for the beach chair in Bali, her mind momentarily absconded there.

So real was her vision of it that when something came crashing through the window for a split second she thought it was a wave crashing too close to their encampment. It took barely a second for Felicity to snap back to reality as glass shattered onto the marble floor.

Felicity flung herself backwards in the chair, bolting upright as a shadowed figure took a step towards her. The frame was slight, maybe a half a foot taller, but much slimmer – much younger.  
“Thea?” Felicity breathed as the wind from outside battered the papers on the desk  
“Where is the weapon?” the figure questioned, halting the advancement as it neared the light from the desk lamp  
“It’s gone, we don’t have it anymore”  
“Where is it?” the definitely female voice questioned, the tone now raised as she nocked an arrow to her drawn bow.  
“Gone, we couldn’t get it if we wanted to” Felicity swallowed, well aware it was pointing directly at her

“Thea, please if that’s you, you don’t need to do this” Felicity continued, backing up against the built in bookcase behind the desk, her fingers dancing along the outline of what was probably a very expensive vase.

“I don’t go by that name anymore” Thea coldly replied stepping into the light, her face now clearly visible despite the hooded cloak she wore  
“Thea, we were friends, you and I, this is nothing you can’t come back from” Felicity pleaded, her grip tightening around the neck of the vase  
“If you don’t have it, you die” Thea threatened, zeroing in her aimed weapon

“I’m sorry” Felicity whispered as she threw the vase, Thea reflexes were not fast enough to do anything about it as the ceramic shattered against her body, sending her stumbling backwards, the arrow dropping from the bow, both falling to the floor.

Felicity dove to the floor in a running sprint, connecting with Thea’s off balanced legs. Felicity’s leg came down hard a second time against Thea’s kneecap, heavily enough to send her crashing to the ground.

Thea crouched up off the flood, pulling the two short curved blades from the sheath on the small of her back.

Felicity backed up, keeping her body mass low, her eyes scouting around the room for anything that could counter the weapons Thea was now advancing with.

Felicity’s foot kicked against the fallen bow and the lost arrow now on the floor, she had no use for either of those things.

Thea lunged forward, she had been taught to fight, but not taught patience as she swiped towards felicity with an unrestrained movement, leaving herself open to the chest kick Felicity landed on her. Thea stumbled backwards, spilling the rest of her arrows onto the floor. She growled her annoyance as she lunged forward a second time, leaving her left arm unlocked to her body, making it an easy target for Felicity’s boot, the contact of it sending one of the blades falling to the floor.

Thea reached for it, but Felicity was faster, scooping it up by the hilt and throwing it directly at the wall behind the desk, landing it at least an inch deep in the wall. It was not Felicity’s intention to harm Thea, but if she could disarm her and hold her then maybe they could still get her back.

A low growl echoed off the walls, Thea was angry.  
“Thea!” Oliver called, appearing in the doorway of the office, his hands raised to his chest, palms open “Thea, this isn’t you, please”

His foot brushed against the discarded bow and scattered arrows as he took another step forward.

Thea looked from Oliver to Felicity as she backed towards the broken window, Felicity barely and arm’s length away.

Thea twisted the last dagger in her hand, spinning it by the hilt as she silently weighed up her choices. She threw the knife – aimed at Oliver, and as Felicity instinctively ran forward Thea caught her arm and loosed a small arrow from the quiver strapped to her leg.

When the moment calmed, there was a knife wedged in the doorway just to the left of Oliver’s head, Thea was holding Felicity in a choke hold, poised against the broken window, the small arrow pushed deep against Felicity’s neck and Oliver was holding Thea’s bow, an arrow already nocked – aimed directly at Thea.

“Thea, you know I can shoot one of these, let her go” Oliver demanded, his voice deep and booming  
The steeled conviction that Felicity had seen in Oliver boiling under his surface had bubbled over. While his eyes were still blue and his face was still so familiar to her, it was as though he was now someone else – a twin she didn’t quite recognise.  
“Thea, let her go” he roared a second time, he could feel the blood boiling, Thea may have been lost to him, be Felicity wasn’t – if there was a choice to make he was sure he knew what it would be

“Oliver, no” Felicity whispered, her eyes trained on Oliver, fearing the choice that lay before him “not for me” she pleaded, her blue eyes widening, pleading for his acceptance  
“Thea” he called a third time, the gruffness in his voice almost pleading now.

Thea smiled as she pushed Felicity forward, dragging the sharp arrowhead across the thin skin of Felicity’s neck, before she leapt from the building, catching a zip line down to a building across the road, disappearing into darkness and shadows.

“Felicity?” Oliver called out as he raced to her crumpled body on the floor.  
“I’m fine, it’s just a scratch Oliver” Felicity sighed, noting the spotting blood on her fingers, the mark on her neck was just a flesh wound, nothing more.

Oliver helped her to her feet, holding her elbow close to his chest.  
“I’m fine, really” she smiled, brushing an open hand down his worried face

She walked around to the desk, smiling as she surveyed the virus’ handy work.  
“It looks like it got it all, and hopefully not too much else in the process” she noted, swiping the back of her hand across her forehead which suddenly felt sweaty to the touch.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he questioned, his brow furrowing with worry  
“Yes, I’m fine” she blinked, although it became quickly apparently to her that he legs now felt like jelly

She looked up at him, her mouth parted over words, her eyes widening with realisation.  
“Or not” she breathed before collapsing into his arms.

Her body slumped like a dead weight to the floor, Oliver settling her head underneath his lap as he lowered with her.  
“Felicity?” he called, checking her pulse  
It was weak, barely there and she was burning to the touch.

Even in the weakened light of the room he could see the graze on her neck had turned from a simple cut to one that was scorched red and raised.  
“Felicity?” he called again  
No response came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... what did you think?  
> Did Oliver make the right choice? Should Felicity make him grovel to make up for it?  
> Can Sara ever come back from that choice?
> 
> I sound like a Days of Our Lives narrator  
> Anyway, please sound off in the comments, they give me life and I'm contractually obliged to respond to them all


	14. Landed

“Felicity?” Oliver was almost yelling now, her limp body splayed out beside him, her head in his arms.

He wouldn’t have noticed, but he was gently rocking back and forth, his lips pressed against her forehead, expecting something to change if he held her tight enough.

“Dig? Are you there?” he finally spoke into the coms  
“I’m here man, what happened? The coms went dark” John replied, his voice verging on panicked  
“You need to get up here, something’s happened, it’s Felicity”  
Oliver never heard John respond.

He also never heard the ding of the elevator doors opening a few seconds later. He never heard the tapping of hurried footsteps on marbled floors and as he buried his tear stained face into Felicity’s barely warm neck he didn’t hear the office door open.

“Oliver what happened here?” Moira breathed, her eyes searching across the room, littered with glass, wind sweeping in from the broken window  
“I was upstairs when I heard the commotion, security said you were here, what’s going on?”

Oliver looked up, his arms still holding Felicity’s head close into his chest, his thumb instinctively grazing across her cheek, back and forth in slow motion.

Moira took three fast steps forward.  
“Get away from her” Oliver hissed, scooting his body back a fraction  
“Oliver, what happened?” she bent down, hovering just above the crumpled mass of limbs Oliver and Felicity made on the office floor

John raced into the room, his brow moist with sweat having run up the flights of stairs, too anxious to wait for the elevator.

“Oliver, man, what happened?” he panted, sliding across the floor before dropping to his knees beside Felicity  
“The League, they came for something, the cut her, she was fine” Oliver managed, his voice faltering with each passing word “then she just collapsed”

Moira reached out her hand towards Felicity.  
“Don’t touch her, don’t you dare touch her” Oliver screamed, his face red with rage  
“We need to get her to a hospital” John spoke, his thumbs lifting Felicity’s eyelids.  
Her pupils were dilated, her pulse still weak and her skin was clammy.

Moira stood up, smoothing down her crinkled skirt, she had seen all she needed to.  
“They won’t be able to help her” she said calmly, her eyes locked on Oliver  
“Call 911” Oliver said, agreeing with John’s early remark and ignore Moira’s  
“Oliver!” she snapped “they won’t be able to help her, she’s been cut by a League blade or arrow dipped in a very particular, very potent and very lethal poison”

Oliver snapped his head up to Moira, the glare of his blue eyes honed in on hers.  
“What would you know of it?” he spat, all his anger targeted at her, all his compassion focused through his hands onto Felicity.  
“Because I was poisoned the same way, many years ago” she replied, pulling back her blouse to reveal a scar that ran across front of her shoulder. It was faded, old but looked like it had once been a horrific sight.

“Call the ambulance” Oliver repeated to Dig, choosing to ignore his mother’s words  
“Oliver, in 36 hours she will be dead. Do you understand me son?” she said irately  
“Why should I believe you?” Oliver hissed, his voice a low and angry growl  
“Ask me again in 48 hours if you don’t want to believe me now. When you’re telling your daughter her mother is dead because you wouldn’t listen” her words were tinged with anger now.

Oliver’s chest rose and fell heavily. He was tired of making choices, but he was faced with another one – whether or not to trust a woman who had never shown herself worthy of it.  
“So what do I do then?” he sighed, his arms shifting Felicity’s weight, anxious to hold her tighter, closer.  
“You have to take her to Russia, they will help if you go”  
Oliver’s eyes dropped to Felicity, her lips were slightly parted, her eyelashes fanned out across her barely coloured cheeks.

“Call Lyla on the phone in the backpack, tell her to take Amelie to the private landing strip outside of New York, we’ll meet them there” Oliver said, turning his attention to John

“Oliver, there isn’t time, we need to go now” Moira rushed, her hands running fists over each other  
“No” Oliver snapped “If you’re wrong or you’re lying then Amelie needs to be with her, she needs to be with us. We pick her up on the way”

Oliver felt like he was going in blindfolded and handicapped. He knew nothing about what he was facing, whether Moira was telling the truth. He didn’t know what Felicity would tell him, what words she’d use to make the choice and obvious one. All he knew was what he felt and his heart told him that Amelie needed to be with her mother – whether it be to see her when she wakes up or to say goodbye to her for the last time. He wouldn’t take that away from her and deep down he thought maybe Felicity would fight even harder if she could hear that little voice beside her.

* * *

  
It took just over 6 hours to land in the private airfield just outside of New York. True to the instructions, Lyla was waiting with Amelie in the early hours of the morning in the brisk wind.

Oliver was the only one to disembark the private jet. Amalie saw him from a distance and slipped her hand out from Lyla’s. Clutching Penelope, her beloved doll, tightly in one hand, she raced towards Oliver, a huge smile beaming across her face.

He took a knee as she closed the last distance between and fell heavily into his waiting arms.  
“Hi daddy” she whispered, her face tucked tightly into his shoulder  
He kissed her head, her neck and her shoulder, breathing her in, her tiny frame hugged tightly against his. He didn’t want to let her go, didn’t want to move.

“Where’s mommy?” Amelie asked, her blue eyes blinking widely up at Oliver  
“She’s on the plane honey, you’ll see her soon okay, but she’s sleeping right now, we’re going to take her somewhere to help her wake up okay?”  
He had no idea how he should be explaining this to a 5 year old.

Amelie pouted over each word, her brows raised and fell and her nose crinkled with the information he’d provided.  
“Like sleeping beauty?” she asked softly as she took Oliver’s hand and they walked towards the waiting plane  
“Just like that” he smiled down at her  
“Well then all you need to do is kiss her like you’re married” she shrugged  
_If only_ he thought to himself.

* * *

  
Amelie had spent some time curled up on the cot where Felicity lay, brushing her hair and talking about the animals she had seen at the zoo. Oliver had watched from a seat opposite, smiling at the small girl’s ability to find a semblance of peace in a moment where Oliver could find none.

Amelie’s whole body had started yawning, her mouth wide and her eyes drooping like a cartoon character. Her little legs buckled slightly underneath her as she slid off the cot and padded over to Oliver.

He could see from her eyes she wanted to ask him something and as her small head bobbed back towards where Moira was sitting alone, he concluded the question in Amelie’s eyes were of her.  
“Who’s that?” Amelie whispered, her tiny mouth pushed closer than it needed to be against Oliver’s ear

Oliver didn’t know the right answer to give. God he wished Felicity was here to answer it.  
“She is my mother” he settled on a truth, but not the whole truth  
Amelie tapped a finger comically to her lips before she nodded, acknowledging Oliver’s explanation.

She turned and walked directly towards Moira, stopping just in front of her knees.  
“Hello, I’m Amelie, it’s nice to meet you” Amelie said softly, her arm outstretched  
It was an action neither Oliver nor Moira were expecting, but she was a remarkable child with an ability to ease any tension out of the air with one very simple, but extremely powerful, gesture.

“It’s nice to meet you too Amelie, I’m Moira” she replied, taking the small girl’s outstretched hand  
Every poor decision Moira had made was encased in that tiny, soft hand. She had spent years convincing herself that everything she had done was with the right motive. She was wrong. She had made herself a villain where she should have been something much better.

Amelie nodded to herself, her little brain deciding her good deed was done but that she was too tired to continue this anymore. She smiled briefly before padding back towards Oliver.

Without a word she clambered up into his lap. She laid her head on his chest eagerly searching out the rhythm of his heartbeat. She nuzzled against him when the instinctively familiar sound became clear.  
“Goodnight daddy” she sighed into his chest as his arms moved to encase her, protecting her from whatever it was that they would face – together.

* * *

  
The flight was a long and arduous one, taking almost another 9 hours to reach Moscow, where morning was just starting to come to life.

They knew they were coming, the private landing strip was lined with black SUVs. Oliver saw them from the window before he looked back towards Felicity, still no improvement, no movements made. His eyes looked across the plane to Amelie who was regaling John with some fanciful story.

He took a breath and hoped he had made the right choice.

It was brisk when he stepped from the plane first, carrying Amelie down the steel stairs, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. A slick covering of morning rain was glistening across the tarmac in the early sun.

Oliver watched as Mikhail made his approach, protectively he wrapped his arms tighter around Amelie and gently pushed her head down onto his shoulder. He would hold on to her no matter what.

“Your mother, she has told us why you come. We can help your lyubovnik. For blood we do these things” Mikhail announced calmly, his darkened eyes that had seen much looked past Oliver to the plane and nodded.

There was nothing further for Oliver to say. He had no words, only steeled acceptance of the life he was stepping into – the life _they_ were stepping into.

* * *

  
The compound was long drive away over broken and twisted roads. The air seemed colder here to Oliver and he had not seen a person or house aside the village that was near on 40 minutes back.

The estate was surrounded by heavy black steel fencing that stood near on 8ft high and curved at the top with the ends ground into ominous looking spikes. The gate was of a similar design and rolled open as the cars approached.

Mikhail had suggested both Amelie and Felicity ride in another vehicle, but Oliver had refused, neither would leave his side. Oliver had carried Felicity himself – again demanding that no one touch her without his express consent – and had placed her gently down into the specifically equipped SUV. He had taken a seat beside her and Amelie was curled up next to him, her head resting on his lap. Oliver had spent the entire trip with one hand holding Felicity’s and the other gently stroking through Amelie’s hair as she fell into another slumber – her tiny body plainly exhausted.

The estate house itself was large and far more modern looking than Oliver had expected. It rose up in the centre of the tree lined property at the end of the rounded driveway.

Sandstone bricks were at the foundation level, a double staircase taking you up to the large oak door, framed by opulently large reflective glass windows. Four double storey columns in stucco-white stretched up to the overhung roof and framed the second story balcony.

Separate smaller buildings dotted either side of the house, including a large four car garage, but the main house, the grand feature, had been built sparing no expense and that was very plainly obvious to see.

Amelie yawned and slowly stirred on Oliver’s lap as the cars pulled to a stop outside the estate.  
“Where are we daddy?” she blinked, another yawn escaping from her rosy lips  
“It’s going to be home for a little while okay, just until mummy feels better” Oliver replied, placing a reassuring kiss atop her head

The door at the side of Amelie opened and a boy not much older than 17, with a semi-automatic weapon strapped across his back, extended his arms towards Amelie.  
“Don’t touch her” Oliver grimaced between clenched teeth – he would have to learn the Russian translation of that sentence soon.

Oliver gestured for Amelie to stay seated as he slipped past her and stepped from the vehicle. He helped her down from the car and told her to wait by the door, his eyes staring down at the boy who had merely offered a hand.

Oliver bundled Felicity into his arms, her heap drooping onto his chest, her limbs loose and unresponsive. When he returned to where he’d told Amelie to wait she was holding tightly to Lyla’s hand, who was in turn holding onto John’s – who’s eyes were looking worryingly across at Oliver.  
“Are we sure about this man?” he whispered as Oliver stood beside him.  
“No” Oliver replied almost coldly “but what other option is there”

Mikhail gestured them forward, taking Moira’s arm and looping it into his own.  
“It must feel good to be back here yes?” he smiled patting his weathered hand against her arm  
Moira pursed her lips and nodded slowly.  
Her true feelings on the matter were unknown to Oliver – and frankly, he couldn’t care less.

Oliver followed behind as they stepped into the marbled entrance, a beautiful hand painted mosaic taking pride of place in the centre, between walls framed with white columns, a double stairway that led upstairs and a secondary stairwell that lead to a lower level basement area. Contrasting colours and patterns reflected off every surface in a way that should have been garish and probably would be considered so in Starling, but here it felt stately and rich in its intricacies.

An older woman with thick black braids peppered with only a few greying hairs approached Oliver. Her deep red dress swaying around her as she walked, her eyes dark but lined with bright hues of green and gold.

She went to put a hand against Felicity’s forehead, but instinctively Oliver took a step backwards, his eyes scouting the area around him to make sure Amelie was still close by.

“Ruska Roma” Mikhail nodded toward the woman as a young girl dressed in similar garb also entered the foyer “gypsies, they will care for her. You give her to them” he added with a waving gesture towards some men who took steps forward, their arms ready to receive.

“No, you tell them only I carry her, I will stay with her” Oliver responded, glaring the men back  
“Eh” Mikhail humphed

“It’s no problem, you bring her, you follow” the older woman directed, her voice thick with an accent but her words clear enough.

She started walking towards the staircase and Oliver followed, looking back towards Amelie who was now no longer by his side. His eyes darted around the room till her could see her, the young of the gypsy girl was crouched down in front of her as Amelie was admiring the gold jewellery dripping from her wrists.

“Amelie” Oliver snapped, although not meaning to. She looked upwards and scooted towards him, her hand weaving into the pocket of Oliver’s jacket.

“No, the child should not come, it can be frightening” the woman warned, her name still unknown to Oliver, her hands waving for Oliver to send her away.  
“I’m going to go make mommy better, you stay with Lyla and Dig okay, like a leech Amelie, okay, remember the book we read about leeches?”  
She nodded, laughing at the recalled memory of her trying to suck onto Oliver’s arm as he read the book she had happily brought home from the school library, despite it not containing one princess.

“I’ll be back soon, okay Melie” he nodded back towards Lyla who already had her arm outstretched waiting  
“Okay daddy” Amelie smiled, scooting back across the marble floor

Oliver sighed heavily, the trepidation welling inside him – _but what other choice was there._

* * *

  
The room was to the back of the second storey, walking in it was large and carpeted, more subtly decorated than those rooms Oliver had seen downstairs. The cream walls were framed in carved wood and gold painted designs, the bed sat against a false wall a rich palate of beige and creams and dusted pinks.

A rolled-arm chaise lounger in a rich rose and gold brocade fabric was where the woman gestured for Oliver to place Felicity. He did as requested, kneeling down beside her to sweep her hair back from her face.

“She is very beautiful. Your wife?” the woman asked, gently rolling Felicity onto her back  
Oliver shook his head, his eyes watching Felicity “not yet” he said softly, unsure if his words were even heard.

“Hmm” the woman’s brow furrowed a hand stationed above Felicity’s left wrist, moving down to her fingers, never once touching skin on skin “she will be” the women smiled, her hand reaching the tip of Felicity’s fingers

Oliver smiled graciously, completely unaware of the stock most around these parts would have put in what the old woman was saying.

“You call me Nadya” she smiled, the fine lines of her face folding in around her rouged lips as her hands dabbed something onto the skin of Felicity’s forearm.  
“Your wife, she is strong, she has seen much, but she has remained hopeful. Hope is strength” she continued.  
Oliver wasn’t really listening, simply nodding in recognition that Nadya was speaking.

She was mixing something in a heavy mortar and pestle, humming away to herself. Oliver watched as she placed it to the side and then pulled a small razor blade from a pocket on the belt of her dress. She took Felicity’s hand into her own, her thumb pressed in against the pulse point, the razor blade in the other hand poised less than an inch above Felicity’s white skin.

“Hey, no, what?” Oliver stammered reaching for Nadya’s hand  
“No, you must trust me, yes? Or you leave” she said sternly, batting his hand away  
_What choice did he have?_

He clutched Felicity’s right hand into his own, dropping his head onto her shoulder and peppering it with soft kisses. It was no longer warm to the touch, no longer felt like her – she was slipping away from him. _What choice did he have?_

Oliver couldn’t watch as Nadya drew the razor across Felicity’s forearm three times in parallel lines across it. Blood trickled from it, not as fast as he would have expected, the poison obviously slowing the rate her blood was being pumped and congealing that which did circulate.

He bit back the tears as he watched the blood spread across her forearm, her once porcelain skin now stained bright red. It was at this point Nadya wiped the blood clear with a red rag before she tied the same at Felicity’s elbow, below the joint. Working quickly Nadya placed a deep green tinted pasty substance over Felicity’s forearm, concentrating most of it where she had made the cuts. She nodded, satisfied with her work before she folded the length of the red rag down Felicity’s forearm and tied it gently at the wrist.

“She will be fine, your wife, she will live, but it will take some time”  
Oliver didn’t understand – what would take time?

Reading the confusion on his face, she stood up, gesturing for him to do the same.  
“On the bed, she will be more comfortable there” she waved her hand back towards the large and opulent bed as a young girl dressed in a forest green dress folded back the layers of rich satin linens.

Oliver carried Felicity’s still motionless body to the bed and lay her gently in it.  
“When will she wake up?” Oliver questioned, lifting her easily back into his arms  
“Soon, but, uh, it will take much time” Nadya nodded, gesturing Oliver again to the bed.

He placed her down, still confused about what she meant – what would take time?  
“She can go home soon, yes?” he asked trying to make something out of what she was saying

Nadya’s brow furrowed, her point not clear and she was unsure how to make it so. She spoke in a language Oliver didn’t understand to the young girl, who nodded fervently along with everything that was said, before Nadya left the room.

The young girl smiled as she moved around Oliver, he would have guessed her age around 14, maybe older. She was tiny, a waif of a thing, swamped in her flowing dress, her dark hair tied back tightly in a single braid down her back.

“She will be okay, but when she wakes, she will be weak, she may not be able to move, but it will come back to her, over time, Nadya says she is strong” he English was near on perfect, only lightly peppered with an accent that sounded more French than Russian.

He let the words sink in, she would be weak, unable to move, but alive.  
“She will be okay?” he asked again, anxious to hear it once more  
“Yes, she should wake up soon, but only a little, you understand?” the girl smiled, placing a warm washcloth on Felicity’s forehead  
Oliver nodded, he understood, for the most part.  
“Shall I send for Luminitsa?” she asked, wringing out the washcloth and folding in over the edge of the bowl  
“I don’t know who that is” Oliver sighed, taking a stool next to the bed, his hands cupping one of Felicity’s hands  
“It means little light, it’s the name Nadya has given your daughter”  
Oliver looked up perplexed, they had already renamed his child?  
“Her name is Amelie, I can get her” he breathed heavily through his irritation, he didn’t mean to sound gruff at the young girl, none of this was her doing, but everything was becoming too much, he was struggling to hold himself together.

He stood up from the stool just as Felicity’s hand twitched in his, then gripped in, her fingers tightly weaving into his.

“Oliver?” she sighed, her breath laboured and her voice almost inaudible  
A smile broke across his face as he looked down to see her beautiful eyes staring up at him.  
“I’m here baby, I’m here” he pushed a smiling kiss against her forehead, tears of joy forming in pockets at the corners of his eyes.  
“Oliver? Where are we?” she spoke slow, breathing shallow between each quietly spoken word  
“Safe, baby, you’re safe”  
He bent down and kissed her lips again. They were dry and a little cracked, but they were moving against his.

She was alive and he would keep her safe.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [lyubovnik = lover/beloved]  
> Note: This is not in the Russian written language, but is how the word would be said


	15. Shattered

  
Twenty-four hours. It had been twenty-four hours since Oliver had seen the blue of Felicity’s iris. Twenty-four hours since he had heard her soft, but cracking, voice. Twenty-four hours since he had felt her grasping back when he touched her; and, as he paced the rug underneath the bed he realised it had been twenty-four hours too long.

Nuri, the young girl who had spoken with Oliver the day they had arrived, would spend all her time in Felicity’s room, quietly sitting in the far corner of the room, sketching on a tattered art book with a pencil she would pluck from a pocket woven into the belt of her flowing dress.

She would smile at Oliver shyly when he came in the room as she moved silently around him, cleaning every nook in the room and tending to Felicity whenever he would let her, brushing her hair across the satin pillow and gently unwrapping and cleaning her arm, replacing the paste on it every few hours.

Amelie had grown fond of the young girl, still in awe of the golden bangles she wore around her wrist and the deep rich colours of the dress she wore. Nuri would smile at Amelie but only spoke if she was spoken to, preferring instead to ghost around the room or stay almost invisible in the corner of the room, where Amelie would watch her from behind the Couch.

Despite her pleadings Oliver had not let Amelie out of his sight, or out of the room. She had stared out the window and begged to play in the beautiful gardens, but Oliver had kept her close, his watchful eyes always lingering over Amelie and Felicity.

Still, it had been twenty-four hours since Felicity had moved.

A knock on the bedroom door jolted Oliver back into the moment as he looked up from the floor. Nuri dropped her drawing tools and ran to open it, silently excusing herself as John and Lyla walked in.

“Any improvement?” John asked, walking around to the foot of the bed, the same place where Oliver had walked an imaginary path back and forth for hours  
“No, but she’s breathing” Oliver replied wistfully, mindful of his voice as he looked over to Amelie who was curled up asleep next to Felicity

“I need you two to return to Starling” Oliver continued, pulling John another few feet away from the foot of the bed  
“And leave you here? No way man” John replied, folding his large arms over one another  
“Oliver, Johnny’s right, we can’t leave you guys here alone” Lyla piped in, taking the same arms-crossed stance that John had adopted

“I need you to find Thea if she’s still there, if not, I need you to find everything you can out about the League. I need you to help bring back the rest of my family, please” he sighed

It was with a heavy heart that he asked them to leave, but Oliver felt it was the right choice. He needed eyes and ears in Starling and he needed someone he could trust.

Mikhail had given him no reason to fear that Amelie or Felicity were unsafe here, but in no uncertain terms he had also suggested that outsiders – John and Lyla – could not be afforded the same level of security. It was not a threat, but a thinly veiled warning of the world that Oliver was now an inductee of.

“We’re safe here. We’ll return as soon as we’re able” Oliver nodded reservedly  
John sighed through his thoughts, he did want to argue the point with Oliver – Felicity was like a sister to him and Amelie like a niece, but even John had to admit that if it weren’t for the high fences and armed guards this place would resemble an exclusive spa hidden amongst the backdrop of a richly scenic canvas, and because of the high fences and armed guards there was little chance Tommy and his buddies would be getting anywhere close.

”And your mother, what about her?” John enquired  
“What she does is of no interest to me” Oliver shrugged, truth was he hadn’t spoken to her since their arrival, he barely saw her and rarely even registered her presence when he did. Right now her comings and goings were completely irrelevant to him.  
“There is a car waiting for you when you’re ready. The plane is fuelled up and will take off after you board”  
“Oliver are you sure this is the right move to make?” Lyla asked

Oliver shook his head softly, his lips folding into each other as he mulled over his answer.  
“I’m not really sure of anything anymore, but if Thea or Tommy go back to Starling I need someone there to tell me”

Both John and Lyla nodded, they understood. They couldn’t follow him down this particular path any further.

They said their goodbyes, no one willing to venture into how long it would be for, but regardless, they parted as friends with the hope that it would not be too long till they would reunite as the same.

* * *

  
Ten minutes later Oliver stood at the window of the room watching his friends drive away in the black SUV as the bedroom door opened without a knock.

Mikhail stepped in, his feet heavy on the floor as he walked towards Oliver.  
“It is good they have left, this is no place for outsiders”  
Oliver stayed facing the window, glancing back only slightly to catch a glimpse of both Amelie and Felicity still asleep on the bed.

“You feel as though we are your enemies, we are not” Mikhail said simply  
Oliver listened to the thumped sound as Mikhail sat back into an armchair and hoisted his feet up onto the low table in front.  
“Come, sit, talk”  
Oliver stepped back from the window, regardless of his personal feelings on the matter, he did owe this man a debt, Felicity was alive because of this place.

Oliver took a seat opposite, his feet placed firmly on the floor, his hands clasped in front of him as he leaned forward in the chair, his face blank of any emotion – to be honest, all Oliver felt was tired.

“Your wife, they say she is strong, she will be fine yes” Mikhail started, his dark brows framing his even darker brown eyes  
“She’s not my wife” Oliver sighed, unsure why he was picking that nuance to pull him up on – it just felt like something Felicity would say, a smile almost flickered across his face at the thought of her rebutting a comment like that.

“Eh” Mikhail’s mouth contorted over the sound “Nadya says she will be, she is a Galdalki*, how would an American say it” he paused, his head bobbing in thought “one who can see the future, she is never wrong”

Oliver almost chuckled to himself – she might be wrong once Felicity knew where they were.  
“You worry about them, yes? About you keeping them safe” Mikhail spoke calmly, his hand with a pointed finger moving between the bed and Oliver  
“Of course” Oliver answered, it was all he thought about  
“You will train with me and others. You will be able to protect them”

Oliver was still aware of what had transpired last time he had thought Mikhail’s words were offering him a choice. He assumed this time the same applied. There was no choice.

“This” Mikhail nodded, gesturing his arms about the room “this is your lineage, your path. In time, this will be a home, not a prison” he thumped his feet back onto the floor as he stood up “we are not your enemy Oliver, we are a tool you will need to use”

He pulled a dark grey semi-automatic pistol with a deep brown handle from his shoulder holster and placed it on the table. It was small, but demanded attention. It had the initials AM on it.  
“This was your grandfather’s, it is yours now” he said plainly, not waiting for an answer as he left the room.

Oliver stared down at it, his head a rush of thoughts. He could feel his anger rising, as though those simple words had made it come to the forefront of his tired brain. He had nothing but contempt and rage toward Tommy. He hated him for laying a hand on his daughter, for taking his sister and for his relentless attack on the woman he loved. As Oliver’s chest puffed out with a heat of aggravation he wanted nothing more than to point that gun at Tommy and pull the trigger.

Perhaps Mikhail was right. At this juncture he had only one enemy, one enemy that he needed to be able to match – that he needed to be able to kill.

Nuri and another girl who could have been a younger sister entered the room with a quiet knock. Oliver held the gun briefly before placing it atop the highest piece of furniture he could find, a standalone white wood wardrobe that was way out of Amelie’s reach. For now it would do.

The two young girls floated into the bathroom behind the false wall of the bedroom. Oliver heard the water running, likely from a bath being drawn. A few minutes later Nuri stood in front of Oliver and spoke with a bowed head.  
“We need to bathe her, can you take her to the bathroom please?”  
“No, you can leave, I’ll do it” Oliver replied

No one would touch Felicity, no would see her vulnerable – only him.  
“It’s is our job” she said kindly, but her eyes flicking up at the foreigner who stood about 2 feet taller than her.

“Thank you, but I think it’s probably my job” he offered her a half smile, this was not a test she would fail if she didn’t push  
“I would ask that you keep an eye on Amelie though if she wakes up” he offered her this small token of trust.

He would only be mere feet away from Amelie, but Nuri had done nothing but try and be helpful, he would offer her a token of respect in return.

She nodded and spoke in a quiet tone to the younger girl who bowed a knee in her deep red dress and left the room, barely making a sound.

“Oliver?” Felicity sighed, her eyes slowly opening  
Oliver almost skidded to the bed, cupping her hands into his as he knelt down in front of her.  
“Hi” he spoke softly, smoothing a kiss against her pale hand

She managed a smile, exhaling a soft breath from her parted lips.  
“What is this place?” she asked, her voice still cracked and quiet as her eyes blinked around the strange surroundings  
“Somewhere safe for now” Oliver replied, trying to put a face on that didn’t show how completely terrified of losing her he was.

Her face was pale, her eyes darker than normal and her skin was cold to the touch. If Oliver didn’t know better and she wasn’t talking to him right now he would assume she had already passed.

“I want to see the sun” she smiled, nodding towards the drawn curtains “it’s dark in here”  
“After okay? It’s time for your bath” he smiled, stroking back her tumbled hair  
“Are you my nurse Oliver Queen?” she chuckled lightly  
“I do have the legs for the uniform” he winked, kissing her forehead as he peeled back the blankets, careful not to disturb Amelie asleep beside her

Felicity’s leg’s smoothed across the soft cotton sheets, sliding one after the other onto the thick piled rug underneath. Oliver tucked his arm over her shoulder and around her back as she slowly sat up in the bed.

She tried to stand, but her legs were weak. She stumbled into Oliver, his bulk frame enough to hold her up. She pulled herself up him, a look of tired but fierce determination on her face. Straightening her legs she took a moment to balance before sliding one foot forward. It was shaky and weak but it moved to her will and for that she counted it as a small victory.

“How about I just give you a lift?” Oliver smiled  
Felicity wanted to argue but she was tired and despite her best efforts her legs weren’t really bowing to her wishes.  
“You know, just to make you feel useful, I’ll accept” Felicity nodded against his broad chest, the familiar drum of his heartbeat a lulling sound in her ears

Oliver swept her gently into his arms, surprised at how easily he could carry her. She had always fitted so well in his arms, but this time she felt frail and his hands were afraid of gripping a hold over her in case it hurt her. She slid her arms around his body, lacing her fingers together at the crook of his neck.

“This room is beautiful, did we redecorate? Or has the hospital had a major upgrade” Felicity spoke quietly with a smile between drawn out breaths

The bathroom was equally as exquisite as the rest of the house. An ombre of natural toned tiles surrounded the room, a lighter tone across the floor which reflected the glow of the soft focus yellowed lighting. The bath sat beside the large open shower with gold fixtures and a large glass wall. The bath itself was a step upwards, encased in a beautifully tiled surround built out into a seat and overlooking the expanse of the manicured back garden.

The bath itself had been filled to almost brimming with a milky-coloured water and scattered with a colourful array of flowers.

“This is not Starling General is it Oliver?” Felicity said sombrely, she could tell from the way he avoided looking at her that there was something he wasn’t telling her  
“No, it’s not” he replied as he gently sat her on the tiled seat beside the bath  
“Oliver, tell me what’s going on?” she pleaded, her mind awash with confusion

Oliver folded his lips into each other, his eyes downturned and glistening with fresh tears. His heart was torn, she deserved the truth, he needed to tell her the truth – but if he did, there was a high chance he could lose her forever and he was not strong enough to endure that a second time around.

“Felicity, what do you remember?” he asked, balancing on the soles of his feet in front of her, his hands desperately holding hers in them  
Felicity’s brow furrowed searching for her last memories.  
“Thea, I remember Thea” she touched her palm flat against her neck, thumbing over where the arrowhead had cut her “I remember being dizzy and then nothing”

“The head of the arrow, it was poisoned, we almost lost you” a lone tear trekked down the curve of Oliver’s face, his head dipping low, resting on her lap  
“You didn’t, I’m here” Felicity breathed, gently touching her fingers to the side of his head, stroking along his hairline

Oliver closed his eyes, casting off a further tear, before he sighed into her lap.  
“I was told there was only one place that could help you, only one place that I could take you”

Felicity’s hand continued to smooth over his head, feeling the warm mist of his breath through the fabric weave of her pants. Oliver’s tears creating small wet circles blotting through to her skin.  
“Oliver, where are we?” Felicity asked with a clouding of trepidation in her voice  
Oliver lifted his head from her lap, his eyes blinking away soft tears, his heart secretly praying this wasn’t something they couldn’t face together.

“Russia” he replied simply  
The moment the singular word slipped over his lips he saw her face change. She swallowed down the word, letting it sink inside her. Her face look pained and confused as her eyes darted around the room.

“Felicity I’m sorry, I didn’t know what other choice to make, I didn’t know what else to do. You were slipping away in my arms, I couldn’t lose you, not again”

He pawed at her hands as he stayed down on his bended knee and she remained deathly silent, her eyes refusing to see his.

“Felicity, please just say something” he pleaded, taking her hand into his.

She pulled it back, letting his hand fall away to the floor.  
“You need to leave” she said stoically, her eyes looking out through the window and across the lush green yard

“Not like this, please, we can talk about it” he pleaded  
Her emotionless words were like a stabbing pain to his chest and a lump in his throat that wouldn’t let him catch his breath. He saw it all slipping out of his hands.

“You need to leave this room Oliver” her voice became clearer and louder, the rasp easing away  
“Felicity please” he stood up and leaned in, his hand gently touching the side of her face, desperate for her to at least look at him.

She batted his hand away and snapped her head towards him. The juxtaposition of emotions were etched into her face and Oliver had no choice but to see them.

“Leave” she hissed, her arm pushing against him – desperate for some distance between their bodies

“Get out” she screamed, pushing him again  
Her weakened muscles could barely move him, but the look in her eyes shattered his heart into a million pieces.

He had made a choice.  
He had made the wrong choice.

If he thought anything would have stemmed her anger in that moment he would have done it. He would have fallen to his knees and begged for her forgiveness, pleaded with her to listen to him. He would have taken what she unleashed on him, he had seen her take on men larger than himself and he would have gladly let her vent in that way if it would have made a difference.

But he saw it in her eyes.  
He heard it in her voice.  
He had shattered her heart too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Galdalki = Fortune Teller
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos and comments you're all amazing....  
> Sound off below, no need to be kind, I can take it lol


	16. Darkened

Nuri kept her eyes low and her head bowed as Oliver wore his pained expression, despite his best efforts, as he walked back into the room and straight towards the tall white-washed wardrobe.

He took the gun from the top of it where he had placed it earlier and tucked it into the back of his dark-washed jeans, folding his shirt back over it.

“Just see that she’s kept comfortable, find me if you need me” he spoke, the visceral pain etched in the lines of his face. He needed to be anywhere else but here, seeing Felicity recoil from him, seeing her eyes look at him with that amount of betrayal was much more than he could handle.

He did not regret his decision, he was adamant that it had been the right one, but still the consequences of it were a burden he was struggling with.

* * *

  
Felicity heard a door close in the other room as she rubbed her folded hands down her arms, the tears slowing their tracks down her red and puffy cheeks.

She knew she had been harsh with him – probably more so than he deserved. She knew she had not let him speak, not let him explain, but if she was being honest, she didn’t want to know – she didn’t want to hear what Oliver had chanced, what he had sacrificed, to be here – because if she dwelled on what he was willing to risk – for her – it all made it seem like the scales were unevenly tipped.

Deep down, underneath the bravado and the strength she displayed so well, there was still a fragility and a sentiment she had carried with her for many years. It had been a dark clouded blanket that had hung over her and still blemished her thinking till this day – she was not worth that sacrifice.

She heard the smallest of noises from the doorway forcing her to swipe away the tears and look towards the noise.

A young girl stood poised, one hand on the doorframe, the other smoothing a path across her richly deep green dress. She blinked her dark brown eyes at Felicity, pushing back a splinter of hair that fell forward across her face.  
“Please, I need to clean that” she said quietly, pointing to the wrap around Felicity’s arm.

Felicity’s fingertips danced over the fabric, suddenly aware she was unsure what it was there for.

The young girl took small steps towards Felicity, her eyes dancing with a youthfulness Felicity found immensely endearing. As she got closer she realised the girl was even younger than she had initially assumed. She was still a child.

“My name is Nuri” she said softly, a slender arm reached to touch Felicity’s bandaged one  
Felicity thought about retracting it, but she was just a child.

Nuri knelt down in front of Felicity, taking her arm gently between her hands and slowly loosening the knot.  
“You daughter looks so much like you” she smiled, her eyes focused on the knot  
Felicity swallowed down words, the situation itself as much as she could handle right now without any added conversation.

“I can see why he loves you both very much” she blinked upwards, an effervescent smile springing across her face  
“I’m sorry, who are you?” Felicity finally spoke, dabbing a corner of her shirt across her wet cheeks  
“Ruska Roma, like a Gypsy, I am here to help you” she spoke quietly, her English – Felicity noticed – was almost flawless.

* * *

 

Oliver paced the gardens, his head a wash of conflicting emotions. He knew Felicity would be angry, he knew she wouldn’t understand, but she had shut him down without the even offering him a chance to explain.

He growled low under his breath as he kicked out at stones beneath his feet. Every action, every reaction and every consequence came down to the actions of Tommy Merlyn and every fibre inside Oliver hated him for it. The rage was intense, more so than anything he had felt ever before. He wanted to kill him. He needed to kill him. The dark thoughts were infiltrating his mind, coursing through every vein in his body.

The thought took him by surprise, the vividness of what he could see should have been disturbing to him, but the darkness was creeping ever closer and all Oliver could see – all he wanted to see – was Merlyn’s dead body at his feet, his blood – literally and metaphorically – on Oliver’s hands.

The thought consumed him.

“You wonder how you can protect them, yes?” Mikhail asked, appearing from behind Oliver  
Oliver swallowed down his thoughts as he watched Mikhail walk around to the front of him.

Mikhail didn’t wait for an answer before gesturing for Oliver to follow him further into the garden. Hidden by a frame of thick and established evergreen trees was a single story cement brick bunker that looked no larger than 12 feet. Mikhail wrapped his knuckles on the rusted metal door before he glanced upwards to a camera placed discretely under the sill of the roof.

The door clunked open and an oppressively large man stepped to the side as Mikhail walked in, Oliver following behind. Florescent lights bounced off the close walls, making it almost blindingly bright in the small room.

Oliver continued to follow Mikhail down the stairs to the left of the room, his shoes banging against the grated metal stairs. Everything around him seemed ominously cold and sterile. A second door at the bottom of the stairs opened freely to them both and Oliver suddenly found himself in a surprisingly large basement with smoothed concrete walls and floor, stained with dark patches that Oliver would hazardous a guess were likely blood.

Black metal chairs lay folded up against the walls beside portable metal framing and menacing looking rolls of black plastic.

“And this place is?” Oliver asked, already suspecting he knew the answer  
“Storage” Mikhail shrugged  
Oliver shook his head slightly, unwilling to buy the weak explanation but equally as unwilling to know the real answer.

“Fine, why have you brought me to your, uh, storage bunker?” Oliver remarked, the tone verging on mocking  
“I’m offering you what you want. You want your family safe, yes?”  
“Of course” Oliver replied stoically, unwilling to relinquish his true feelings about what he wanted  
“To keep them safe, you and I must come to an understanding, a trust. We are after all, family” Mikhail nodded, his eyebrows drawing inward as he spoke

“And why would I trust you, you’re the man who sent gunmen into my family’s office, you killed three people to prove a point to me. Forgive me if I don’t feel like you are the most worthy one to offer me advice”

Mikhail gestured to a comrade in the far corner of the room, who then silently disappeared, returning a few moments later, four others following behind him, two of which had their hands bound behind their backs.

The two bound me were forced down onto their knees mere feet away from where Oliver stood.

“These are the men that killed three people and did not listen to my explicit instructions that no blood be spilt” Mikhail gruffed, his voice angry but not wild

One of the men spoke in panicked Russian, but was swiftly stunned into silence by a blow to the back of the head.

Mikhail reached around Oliver and took the concealed weapon from the waistband of his pants. Holding it by the short barrel, he handed it towards Oliver.  
“Exact your justice for those they killed” he spoke coldly, nodding towards the gun  
“I will not kill them. It will achieve nothing” Oliver replied sternly, refusing to take the gun from his hands  
“What if I gave them the gun and told them shooting you would guarantee their freedom, you think they would show the same restraint?” his eyes narrowed taking a step towards the men

Oliver could see the point he was making, but he would not give him the satisfaction of saying it.  
“We both know the answer to that” Oliver replied  
“Your enemies will not grant you mercy, how do you hope to fight Tommy Merlyn if you are unwilling to use the same tactics as he would?”  
He jabbed the handle of the gun into Oliver’s chest  
“You will not be able to protect them” Mikhail taunted.

Oliver took the gun into his hands, his palm flexing against the handle, gripping it and tipping it back and forth letting the feeling of it soak in.  
“And if I decide to shoot you instead?” Oliver replied, swiftly pulling the gun and holding it an inch from Mikhail’s forehead.

A smile grew across Mikhail’s face as a chuckle passed over his lips  
“Do not point a gun at a man unless you intend to use it” he warned, stepping forward, pushing the butt of the gun against his own flesh

They stood, locked in a silent battle of wills before Oliver lowered the gun and tucked it into the front of his waistband.

“Tommy Merlyn will kill your family unless you are willing to stop him. Tell me Oliver, are you willing to?”  
Oliver stiffened his back, his blue eyes darkening over the thoughts of what he was willing to do to Tommy.  
“Teach me how to stop him” he replied simply

Mikhail watched Oliver’s face for a moment, before he nodded and gestured him with a lengthened arm, back towards the door from which they had entered the basement room.

Before they reached the door, Mikhail brandished a gun from a shoulder holster, turned and fired two shots back towards the men on their knees, killing them both instantly.

Minutes later Oliver was standing back outside the bunker, the door slamming shut behind them. He knew the cost if he travelled down this path, but Mikhail had been right, Oliver could not hope to best Tommy unless he was willing to fight him on the same level.

Nuri rushed across the grounds and fell at Oliver’s feet, her breath ragged and anxious.  
“Mr Oliver, it’s your love, she’s taken poorly again” she cried, her tone a frightened one.

* * *

  
“What happened?” Oliver asked, his hands sweeping underneath Felicity’s limp body as Amelie cowered in the corner of the room, tears staining her cheeks as she softly muttered words of encouragement to Felicity.

“I was cleaning the wound, I turned and she just collapsed onto the floor” Nuri panicked, her small hands rolling over each other

He carried her easily into the bedroom, his eyes focusing in on Amelie, her young eyes had already seen too much.  
“Daddy” she cried, following him into the bedroom as he gently lay Felicity on the rose and gold chaise lounger.

“It’s okay Amelie, mommy’s okay, she just sleeping” he tried to calm her, but she was hysterical, her tiny body pushed up against Oliver’s chest sobbing in laboured breaths.  
The door swept open and Nadya with two other older women appeared in the room.  
“The child must leave, you must stay” she said hurriedly, waving her arms at Nuri who placed her hands on Amelie’s shoulders

Amelie cried out against the touch, her arms tightening around Oliver – she was not letting go without a fight.  
“She must leave” the instructions came again, louder this time as the other woman carried in large bowls of steaming hot water  
“Amelie, you need to go with Nuri, it’ll be okay, I’ll look after mommy” Oliver pleaded, his heart lurching at the terrified look on Amelie’s face.  
“Please daddy, I need to stay with you” she cried before Nadya unceremoniously plucked her from Oliver’s arms and handed her to another woman who hurried from the room, Nuri trailing along behind.

He heard Amelie screaming for him as the wooden door slammed shut, he went to instinctively follow but he was stopped and pushed back towards Felicity.  
“You must hold her” Nadya instructed, placing Oliver’s hands atop Felicity’s shoulders “hold her down” she repeated, pushing his weight onto Felicity.

She hurried around the other side and produced a blade similar to the one she had used the first time.  
“What’s going on?” Oliver asked, realising that was the first time he had  
“We must bleed it again, but this will hurt. You must hold her, keep her still” Nadya spoke hurriedly  
“Can’t you give her something to numb it?” Oliver enquired, his tone verging on frightened  
“No, she must feel the pain, it’s the way the body fights it. It’s the only way, you must hold her, she will scream out, but you must hold her”

Oliver couldn’t look as she made almost an identical line a 1/4inch away from the last on. Felicity’s eyes jolted open, a panted breath pushed from her lips.  
“Oliver” she cried, her eyes confused at the pressure his body was putting on her  
“It’s okay baby, you’ll be okay” he tried to calm her  
She screamed as the blade dragged down her skin, blood spilling freely from it, much more than the last time.

The other older woman hurried to blot it away, but it was rushing over Felicity’s porcelain skin faster than she could blot it.

Oliver’s face contorted at the mix of emotions he was feeling. He could still see Amelie’s terrified face in his mind and he could still hear her screaming for him in the distance.

The cut went further, Felicity screamed, fighting back against Oliver’s restriction of her.  
“Oliver please” she cried, her blue eyes rolling back towards the ceiling.

He body writhed under his arms at the excruciating pain coursing through her body, her eyes screwed shut before firing open again, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
“Oliver, please” she whimpered, twitching beneath him

“You need to stop” Oliver pleaded with Nadya, the conflict scratched into his face  
“No, not yet, she is a fighter, you tell her to fight” she urged, letting the blood seep from the cut

Felicity’s body tensed seconds before going limp again. Oliver lifted her head to his heaving chest, pushing her against him as he pleaded with her silently.  
“Felicity, you’re strong, you fight this” he whispered in her ear, his voice cracked and broken  
“Fight this, stay with me” his shaking voice cracked as he stumbled over tears  
“You can’t leave me, I love you. I need you” he closed his eyes, burying his face into her neck, sections of her golden hair now tainted with spilt blood cascading down through his fingers.

It felt like hours that he stayed there, knelt beside her, his face buried against her neck, his tears wetting her silken skin, with her body limp in his arms. He couldn’t remember the last moment he had felt her soft warm breath against his neck, but it wasn’t there now. His mind darkened fearing he had lost her, his mind was blackening at the thought when he felt it…the smallest of breaths passing over her lips, the slightest of movement of her hand fallen to his side and the quietest of whispers.  
“Oliver?”  
He held her with shaking hands tightly to his body.  
“I’m here, you’re safe” he calmed, peppering delicate kisses across her cheek “Stay with me, Felicity. Stay with me”

Nadya had bandaged up Felicity’s arm once again, talking quietly to herself in Russian before she turned to Oliver.  
“She is strong, her light is strong. Look to her in darkness” she spoke in riddles  
“She carries what you want. She carries your future”

Without further explanation she nodded towards Oliver, gesturing for his hand. He offered his hand to her. Taking it between her hands she turned his palm upwards and stared at it intently.  
“I know what they ask of you, I know what you think you must do, but your future is not set in scars or heart lines. Do not lose what it is you fight for”

She released his hand, setting it down on Felicity’s stomach.  
“Stay with her, keep her close”

* * *

  
Amelie hung onto Oliver’s arm, frightful she would be unceremoniously plucked from his arms again. Oliver pushed back her tumbled hair, wrapping his arms comfortingly around her small frame.

“I want her to come back now” Amelie sighed, idly toying with a thread on the sleeve of Oliver’s t-shirt  
“I know sweetheart, but mommy just needs to rest right now” Oliver hushed, his lips kissing a gently touch against the crown of her head, breathing in her softly scented skin.  
“And then what daddy?” Amelie blinked upwards, more trepidation filling her eyes than any 5 year old should have

“Once mommy is all better you guys can go home, see your friends and that pony of yours, I bet she misses you” Oliver smiled, rubbing a hand gently down her back  
“Nope” Amelie replied matter-of-factly

Oliver stayed quiet, assuming that there would be more to Amelie’s direct statement.  
“I want to stay here with you”  
“Well, mommy will probably want to go home Melie, she probably misses her bed”  
Amelie chuckled to herself, her eyes sparkling over the words dancing around in her head  
“You mean her computer, she misses that more” she laughed raucously, for just a moment like nothing else mattered

Oliver winked and, leaning in close to her ear, he whispered “You’re probably right”  
Amelie smiled at the secret shared between them before she settled her head in against his chest once more.

“I want to stay with you, mommy will too if you tell her to” Amelie sighed, her voice soft and warm against Oliver’s chest  
“Why do you think that Melie?” Oliver asked, calmly stroking his palm through her hair  
“Mommy’s not strong enough” she paused over her words “but you are daddy, you can stop him”  
“Stop who?” Oliver asked, a gentle smile of assurance staying on his face as she blinked up at him  
“The man that took me” Amelie whispered, her tiny brows furrowing over her thoughts

Amelie spoke very little of Tommy Merlyn or what had happened while she was with him. Neither Felicity or Oliver pushed the subject, fearing it would do more harm than good, but they always left the door open for Amelie to speak freely on the matter when moments arose – like this very one.

“Did he scare you sweetheart?” Oliver asked softly, his fingertips combing through her hair  
Amelie nodded timidly.  
“He said” she paused, looking around the room, her tongue trapped between her teeth.

She leaned up against Oliver’s chest and resting her chin on his shoulder she placed her lips in close to his ear.

“He said he was going to hurt mommy” she sniffed softly “mommy’s not strong enough to stop him” another sniff “but you are daddy”  
She pulled away, kissing his cheek gently.

“It’s okay sweetheart, he’s not going to hurt you or mommy” Oliver soothed  
“So we stay where you stay” she said firmly, nodding her head once in agreement with her statement

Oliver’s hands glided up either side of her face, cupping her small head between his palms.  
“You stay where I stay” he smiled, watching her eyes, ensuring she believed him.

Amelie nodded her head, a soft tear springing from her clear blue eyes.  
“You can stop him can’t you daddy?”

 _You will not be able to protect them_  
Oliver knew what he needed to become.  
“Of course Amelie” he replied, tucking her body in close to his

He knew what he had to do.  
He knew what path he had to take.


	17. Need

 

“You’re brooding”   
The soft, cracked voice was enough to pull Oliver from his thoughts as he sat in the same spot he had for many hours, the armchair to the side of the bed where Felicity lay, almost motionless, the soft rise and fall of her blanket his anchor point of hope to hold on to.

Oliver unravelled his arms from around his chest as the afternoon sun cast its rays through the gaps in the curtains. He smiled, leaning his body in toward her, anxious to see her face as up close as he could.

“Why are you brooding?” she asked, wiping her tongue across her dry and cracking lip  
“I was worried about you, you really need to stop doing this” he smiled, delicately hovering his hand over her face, eager to touch it but weary that she might reject it.

“We need to talk” she croaked, clearing the dryness in her throat, only a slight hint of peach colour returning to her cheeks

Oliver nodded, his eyes locked onto hers, as he scooted the chair in closer. It took him by surprise when her hands moved from her side and gently lay atop his. He had missed the feeling of her delicate skin brushing up against his more weathered counterpart.

“Where is Amelie?” Felicity asked, gaining just enough strength to sit up slightly in the bed  
“She had a bit of cabin fever, I let her go outside, she’s with people we can trust” Oliver replied, propping the pillows up behind Felicity’s back

Perhaps in other circumstances Felicity would have argued the point with Oliver that she didn’t know the people he purported to trust, but as she slept and her mind ticked over Felicity had begun to realise she didn’t offer Oliver much choice in anything. She was use to making decisions on her own volition both when it came to her and Amelie, but Oliver was as much of a parent as she was biologically and he needed the opportunity to make choices too. She had not been a perfect parent – and at times if she was honest, she wasn’t even a very _good_ parent. Oliver deserved the same consideration.

“I’m listening, tell me why we’re here” she asked softly, reaching for the bottle of water to the side of the bed  
“The arrow Thea used to cut you, it was poisoned. You collapsed in the office and I thought I was losing you” he swiped away a solitaire tear from his cheek before resting the palm of his hand on his knee  
“I was told the only way to save you was to bring you here. I made a choice to take that as the truth, fearing that if I didn’t then you wouldn’t survive”

His body rippled slightly with the recount of how he had felt making the decision. Walking both the woman he loved and the child he desperately cherished into a world he barely knew – based on the word of a woman who he had come to distrust. It had been a reckoning moment, a decision that he had not made lightly.

Felicity stroked her thumb across his hand, a simple gesture that played through a symphony of emotions. She had asked him to choose his forever – he had chosen her, them, he deserved to at least garner a hearing ear from her.

“So here we are, in Russia” she sighed, straining her eyes to see through the gaps in the curtains   
“My recovery, at what cost does it come?” she asked poignantly, her eyes flicking back up to his  
“I will train with them, eventually take the place within the family that they see fit” he replied solemnly, his eyes downward, afraid to see the disappointment in hers  
“At what cost” she whispered, laying her palm flat against his heart, her other hand gently stroking his jaw, raising his head to look at her

“It doesn’t matter, you’re safe” he replied, his face melting into the warmth of her hand  
“I never asked that from you Oliver” Felicity sighed heavily, the pain etched in her eyes. She wasn’t worth the kind of sacrifice he was making.

“That’s the thing Felicity” Oliver spoke, his hands enveloping hers as he gently moved it from his face “you don’t need to ask. That’s what love is about, a thousand times over I would make the same choice, the same decision and the same sacrifice, because for you, it’s all worth it”

“For you” he breathed, pulling her forehead to his, gently abutting them “I would give or do anything. That’s what love is”  
“I love you” he choked over his words, the lump in his throat swallowing down as his hand shifted to the back of her neck, his forehead rolling across hers “I love you” he repeated, the depth of the emotion caught in his shaky words

He pulled his forehead back, his hand still laced in her hair, rested at the base of her head, his thumb stroking across her scalp.  
“I love you” he spoke the words for a third time, clearer and firmer this time – every ounce of feeling he had he poured into those three words.

Felicity’s eyes blinked back the tears, her lips quivered over her words. She knew a great deal of things about life – about how much recoil a pistol gave off, about how to hack into a government controlled satellite and about which princess went with which prince – but Oliver had bested her here – he knew what real love was. 

* * *

 

Felicity watched from the bedroom window, her eyes drawn to Oliver below. He was shirtless, despite the seemingly frigid temperatures, fighting two unfamiliar men with an ease that seemed like it came naturally to him.

It had been near on four weeks since they had landed in Russia. Felicity was regaining her strength, though tiredness would overwhelm her every few hours and force her back into bed. Amelie had become enamoured with the place and while Felicity tried to keep her confined to the room as much as possible, she didn’t have the heart to deny Amelie the chance to venture outside every so often, so she would accompany her – Nuri always a few steps behind – to Amelie’s favourite spot, a meadow where the grass was unkempt and dispersed with wild flowers where Amelie would run and dance and skip like nothing else in the world mattered while Felicity would watch on – acutely aware of the eyes that were watching her from afar – she hadn’t decided whether these were for protection or precaution, whatever the case, she was aware of them.

Oliver would spend most of the day away. Sometimes, like today, he would train where she could see him, other days he would disappear into the forested trees abutting the boundary of the yard. She didn’t know what he did there, but he would come back to her every night, quiet and sullen.

He would ask her to sit with him and she would oblige and take up the same spot on the couch each night. He would lie down next to her, his head rested on her lap, his eyes blinking as he watched Amelie colouring quietly on the floor. There they would stay for a period of time that didn’t get counted, silent, alone, his hand circling a spot below her knee and her fingers idly combing through his hair. Holding him here, anchoring him to his family.

Felicity had no reason to believe today would be any different. Amelie had pleaded to go out into the meadow and Felicity had agreed once Amelie had done some reading and writing for the morning. Felicity listened as Amelie talked herself through the alphabet as she wrote it, carefully and precisely, each pen stroke slow and deliberate.

“I’m almost done mommy” Amelie chirped happily, from her kneeled perch on the floor in front of the coffee table  
“Good girl Melie” Felicity smiled, turning her head away from the window for just a moment to smile at Amelie

Felicity turned back to the window slowly, a sudden feeling of malaise swelling over her. She blinked furiously trying to quell her forthcoming urge to throw up – it wasn’t working.

She felt the surge coming up her throat and with a speed she hadn’t possessed in four weeks she ran to the bathroom and straight for the toilet, reaching it at the exact moment her entire breakfast came hurtling from her mouth.

She coughed through the retching, her hand bracing her body up against the wall. In seconds everything in her stomach was vanquished to the toilet bowl.

“Mommy?” Amelie yelped, panic firmly set in her little voice  
“It’s okay baby, mommy just ate something a little funny, go finish your writing” Felicity grimaced, holding back a second wave  
Amelie cocked her head to the side, unsure whether or not to believe Felicity’s casual demeanour about the whole thing.  
“I’m fine baby” Felicity smiled, swallowing down something that tasted like orange juice   
“Okay mommy, if you’re sure?” Amelie replied, taking a step backwards, but not breaking eye contact  
“Mmm hmmm” Felicity nodded fervently

Amelie shrugged softly and skipped back towards the table.

Felicity lurched forward, sending another purge of stomach contents into the bowl. She reached her hand backwards for a face cloth which she proceeded to wet in the sink beside her. She swiped the cold face cloth over her mouth, finally feeling like the wave of nausea had passed, as she leant up against the vanity and caught sight of the mess of food and bile before she flushed it away.

“Why does it always look like I’ve eaten carrots” she smiled to herself as she lathered her hands in soap.  
She washed the soap away before casually looking up and catching her reflection in the vanity mirror.

_Always looks like carrots_  
She recalled thinking the same thing when she was hurling in her dorm room bathroom, the same day she had thrown up on the Police officer’s shoes – the same day she had been arrested, charged, expelled _and_ found out she was pregnant.

He eyes widened, the reflection showing her the realisation she was having.  
“Oh my god” she breathed, her eyes blinking down to her stomach.  
 _How long since the last….? Oh god, weeks and weeks… Oh god_

She clasped her hands over her stomach. She hadn’t tracked her cycle for months, she couldn’t remember the last time she had her period, but she knew for a certainty that she had not had one in the four weeks that they had been in Russia.

“Oh god” she repeated, suddenly feeling a little more lightheaded   
She popped her hands against the top of the vanity, leaning forward on to them.  
If she was to think logically, there was a very real possibility that – despite her usual regimented routine of taking her pill exactly at the same time every day – she could very well be pregnant.

* * *

 

Felicity felt she had been pacing for an amount of time that seemed obscenely long, but she was trying to rationalize things in her head and formulate some form of a plan that could put all of this into perspective.

She had been stressed, she had been tried and pushed to her physical limits and as her fingers touched against the slowly fading scar on her neck and the bandage on her arm, she knew it was also fair to say that she had been pretty banged up. She was a logical person – being such had always been her defining point. She was smart and centred and never – every prone to emotional outbursts – except that one time in Vegas where she cried for two days straight after watching a telephone commercial about a child and a dog, but she had been pregnant then, almost full term and she knew part of her was crying over all the baggage that had gone along with Amelie’s pregnancy.

But she wasn’t emotional now – she didn’t think – she was calm and collected and pacing the bathroom of a strange house in a strange country where she didn’t speak or read the language and somehow she needed to find a way to by a test to confirm or refute her suspicions.

All of the above could serve as reasons why she had not had a period. It seemed perfectly reasonable to assume that almost dying at the hands of your partner’s sister or finding out that someone you considered a friend wasn’t that after all, or – heck – even the sudden shock of waking up in a strange bedroom in a foreign country might be enough to make one’s body go out of kilter and alter or stop a, generally consistent, cycle.

So sure Felicity could be logical – as logical and as calm and as collected as she wanted to be – but as she held her hands across her stomach all she could think about was the stupid telephone company ad where the little girl made a paper cup phone so she could talk to her dog through it.

Felicity sobbed, fully aware how completely irrational she was being right now.

“Is everything alright?” Nuri asked, hovering like Felicity had become accustomed to in the doorway, Felicity forgetfully leaving the door wide open

“Yea, it’s nothing, just dogs and paper cups” Felicity muttered, swiping away the tears and blinking up to the small gypsy who didn’t have the faintest idea what Felicity was raving on about.  
“I need to go to some shops, a place that sells medicines” Felicity asked, unsure what the proper term for such a store would be

“We can give you what you need here, nature is the best medicine” Nuri smiled, her deep brown eyes dancing whimsically

Felicity smiled to herself, absently recalling an old wives tale that involved urine and rabbits to decide whether one was pregnant or not. She doubted the scientific backing behind anything of that nature.

“Please, I just really need to get out of here for a little shopping” Felicity replied, running her hands under the cold tap  
“If you ask Oliver he can have one of the men take you. I am happy to accompany you”

Felicity thought about refusing the offer, but chances are that even if she could find the right store she would have little to no understanding of what she was buying. As awkward as this was bound to get, Nuri spoke almost perfect English and Russian was her native tongue – meaning Felicity needed her.

“I would appreciate that thank you” Felicity smiled before splashing her flushed face with cold water and patting her skin dry again

She knew she needed to speak with Oliver now, dubious about whether she should outright tell him what she needed to buy. She imagined his face beaming at the news – it was no secret to her how he felt about more children – or at least how he _had_ felt. Things had changed dramatically since they shared that moment in the bathtub what seemed like a lifetime ago now, and perhaps deep down she was afraid that she would not get that response from him at all.

She had watched him slowly retreat into himself, talking only when she asked a question, but holding her so tightly in bed that he would wake if she moved even a little. She had watched him pace the room in darkness, checking the adjoining room where Amelie now slept, constantly ensuring that the door of her room that opened into the hallway was bolted shut and that her windows were locked up tight. Oliver had insisted that Amelie’s room be locked up tighter than a fortress, no one was to unlock the bolts on her bedroom door and industrial locks had been added to her windows, locks for which only Oliver had the key, all ensuring that the only way anyone would get into her bedroom was through their own – and so he paced, until he would listen to reason and climb into bed beside her.

Felicity had seen Oliver darken before her eyes and she was terrified what this latest revelation would push him to do. She would be remiss also to admit that she herself was terrified of bringing another baby into this world that they were now so deeply immersed it.

She knew that if a test came back positive she would tell him – she would _have_ to tell him, but for now, until she knew for certain, she would keep this to herself. She would have to offer him another reasons for her sudden desire to take a drive into town.

* * *

  
Felicity left Amelie standing with Nuri to the side of the base of the entrance of the large estate house as she walked around to where she had seen Oliver trading punches with some grossly large built men, who made even Oliver at his well-built 6’3 stature pale in comparison.

When she turned the corner she found him shirtless with a glistening haze of sweat beading across the definition of both his chest and back muscles. He was clutching a grey tee in his fist using it to wipe the trail of sweat across his forehead.

It was neither the time nor the place but Felicity had a sudden and all-encompassing desire to jump him right there and then. It appeared to her she could add decidedly horny to the list of symptoms she was compiling in her head. It was not lost on her that Oliver too had become much more wanting when it came to such bedroom behaviour.

A number of nights after Oliver had assured himself that Amelie was well secured in her room, he had crawled into bed next to Felicity, his body searching for closeness against every part of her. His breath would quicken and beat down warm against her neck as his hands trekked blind paths across her body. His nose would nub in against her neck before he would litter deep lingered kisses across her neck, growling his approval to the motion.

She could sense his pent up feelings from the day echoing in each kiss he made, occasionally stopping his lips at a spot he would lavish further attention on, his tongue pressed against her, his lips forming a tight seal against her skin, his teeth lightly nipping at her flesh. Felicity knew what he was doing, he was leaving his mark on her in a place that he could vividly see – as could anyone who might look at her.

At times the sex was hurried, needy as though a time limit hung over them and a carnal fire needed to be extinguished within him. At other times there was an air of sadness in the way he touched her, as though he was preparing himself for a time he would no longer be able to seek comfort in her body. Those were the times that when they had both climaxed he would seek out a warm spot just to the right of her sternum where he could hear the quickened beating of her heart and she would breathlessly stroke her fingers through his hair until he finally relented and gave in to sleep.

Oliver looked up, noticing Felicity standing there with her lips parted like she was going to speak but had forgotten how.   
“Is everything alright?” he asked smiling as he took a step towards her, his sweaty palm touching lightly against her arm  
“Mmmm yeah, fine” she stumbled back to reality, her nails gently scratching against her forehead

She gathered her bearings in the present and smiled up at him, choosing her words slowly.  
“I was thinking of taking a drive, seeing the town, maybe picking up a few things” she spoke, idly rolling her hands over each other in a conscious attempt to keep the rest of the information from him  
“I can get someone to pick up anything you need” he replied, still using the grey tee to blot his neck

The image of burly Russian mob members buying a pregnancy test made her smile through pursed lips she tried in vain to control it.

“No, um, that’s fine. I’d really just like to get out for a bit, Amelie too” she trailed a finger down his glossed bicep, unable to stop herself  
He blinked down watching her finger glide slowly over his skin.  
“I’ll have someone meet you out the front in a few minutes” Oliver spoke softly, taking a step towards her, his body a mere inch from touching up against hers

“You need to listen to the people with you, let them keep you safe” he smiled, leaning his mouth in close to her ear, his breath sticky and warm against her skin  
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded slowly.

_Scratch decidedly horny – replace with exceptionally, overwhelmingly, insatiably horny_  
When he pulled his head back from her she caught the glint in his eyes and for a moment she wondered if he had been close enough to read her thoughts. It was only then she realised his hand had made its way to the small of her back, his thumb stroking the dip there.

“Don’t stay out too late” he smiled, pressing a deep kiss against her forehead

He stepped away from her, his fingertips stretching out as far as they could as they left off her skin. Felicity watched as he approached one of the older looking men and spoke in hushed words Felicity couldn’t hear. The older man looked past Oliver, his eyes glancing over at Felicity before he nodded and walked away.

“Wait out front, someone will be there in five minutes” Oliver said, walking his path back over the Felicity  
His finger swooped unexpectedly under her chin, pushing her face upward to meet with his warm, dewy lips that pounced on hers without reservation. It was a fevered kiss, a clashing of lips and teeth, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth and his teeth scraped lightly over her lips.

She mewed lightly into his mouth as he pulled her body in closer, closing any gap that had formed between their bodies. His mouth was hungrily devouring her in the middle of the yard surrounded by sets of eyes that weren’t sure where to look – ordinarily such a display would have been devastatingly embarrassing to Felicity, but she cared little for that now – all she wanted was exactly what he was giving her – a hungered, carnal and devouring kiss, spurred on but whatever need it was that was driving him.

When he broke free, Felicity felt the tremble of her knees and the quickening of her core as she struggled to catch her breath.   
“I’ll see you later” he whispered, locking his lips around her earlobe  
She had no words, just a slow, deliberate nod.

* * *

  
The security detail that went with Felicity and Amelie into town was bordering on obscene. There were the two of them plus Nuri, one driver, two other heavy set and none speaking lumps in the car with them and two others following in a separate car along with at least one slighter built leader on a motorbike.

Only one of them had accompanied her inside, standing guard by the door as her and Amelie walked the aisles. No one else made an attempt to enter the shop behind them and Felicity couldn’t decide whether this coincidental or otherwise. She watched as Amelie took up a position in front of the small section of toys, curiously dancing her eyes and fingertips over a set of nesting dolls and some other wooden crafted dolls.

Felicity had wandered up and down aisles hoping something would make itself obvious and she would be able to find what she was looking for, but so far she was having no luck.

“Is there something you are looking for?” Nuri ask, startling Felicity at the almost silent way she moved around behind her  
Felicity agonised about whether to tell Nuri, but she was struggling with finding what she needed and she did _need_ it.  
“I need a test” Felicity said quietly, her eyes darting around the otherwise empty store “to test for a baby, but you can’t tell a soul”

Nuri’s eyes lit up as a large smile beamed across her face.  
“Oh, you don’t need one of them. You are carrying a baby” she pointed unnecessarily at Felicity’s stomach

Felicity’s brow pulled inwards, her eyes narrowing in confusion.  
 _How did she?..._  
“Nadya has already said it, and she’s never wrong about such things” Nuri almost chuckled, clearly amused at the look set on Felicity’s face  
 _Urine and rabbits_   
Felicity pursed her lips and shook her head slightly.  
“All the same, I would like modern medicine to tell me the same thing, can you show me where to find one?” Felicity asked, instinctively folding her arms low across her stomach

Nuri bent down to the second to bottom shelf, and reached a few feet to the left before taking a small box into her hands and standing up. She handed it out to Felicity who promptly took it from her hands and buried it under her arm, feeling somewhat like a teenager who was buying something she shouldn’t.

Felicity found herself randomly gathering together an array of things from the store shelves just to bury the one thing she actually wanted amongst things she didn’t need at all. A hairbrush, two toothbrushes, what she assumed was toothpaste, something that may or may not be vitamin c tablets – it didn’t matter, she wasn’t going to take them – baby powder, a scattering of hair ties and clips for Amelie and the set of nesting dolls that Amelie asked for.

She made her way to the counter and placed the stack of things in front of the store keep, an older looking man with an impressive grey beard and thick set eyes.

It was only at that point Felicity realised she didn’t have any money to pay for anything.  
The man spoke in rough, deep Russian to Nuri, glancing back and forth between Felicity and Amelie, who – Felicity realised – must have stuck out like foreigners a mile away.

“There is no charge for these things, he knows who you are, he says to go with his blessing” Nuri said collecting the things into a bag the man had handed her  
“Oh” Felicity was surprised “well tell him thank you”

Nuri shook her head, blinking down at the floor, before placing a hand on Felicity’s shoulder, guiding her away from the counter.  
“There is no need to thank him”

They walked from the shop, Felicity dubiously feeling like she was missing something in the exchange. As the burly man that had stood watch over the door left as sudden flood of other customers entered the shop – it had not been a coincidence.

* * *

  
“You are a fast learner” Mikhail commended as he slowly clapped his hands together, watching as two men limped away from Oliver, clutching at various parts of their bodies.  
“It appears unbeknownst to me, my father had spent years inculcating in me the ability to fight” Oliver replied, spitting blood from his mouth onto the grass below

“Ah Robert Queen, he has always been a forward planner. I imagine he is not happy with you and your theft of his prized possession” a small chuckle broke from Mikhail’s mouth  
“Trojan?” Oliver sighed, already knowing the answer to his own question  
“The name he gave it is of no consequence to me, but your father had assumed it would be his way up the ranks”  
“Would it be?”  
Mikhail shrugged, shifting his palms upwards.  
“It is not relevant anymore”  
“Does the man above you think that too? Or should I expect some form of retribution for its disappearance?”  
“We did not care for it, you will not face any such thing from within the Family, we only allowed him to fund it to sell it on, but it was never of great relevance to us, more complicated in its nature than we prefer” he winked menacingly as he tapped his shoulder holster.

* * *

  
Felicity starred at the two lines glaring up at her from the bathroom vanity. She knew what that meant even though the instructions had been in Russian, the small pictures that went along with it were easy enough to follow.

She was pregnant.  
With Oliver’s child.  
Again.

She felt the ominous wave smack hard against her as she struggled for breath, sliding down the wall onto the cold tiles underfoot.

Felicity wanted to be happy, she thought she should be at least. But the idea that she might be trapped in a set of circumstances that would put her in a path of déjà vu was terrifying. If she let logic have its say she knew Oliver was a different person now, she could walk out of this room right now and tell him – something she couldn’t do last time – but still the crippling fear that she would be left alone once again kept her glued to the floor of the bathroom, her head dropped down between her knees.

* * *

  
It was nearing 11pm as Felicity idly thumbed through the chapters of a book she had found, it was in English but she was only taking a few words from each page regardless of that fact. Her mind was elsewhere.

She had managed dinner with Oliver at a table on the back patio of the house. She had watched him thoughtfully as he interacted effortless with Amelie and Amelie hung on his every action and every word. She had almost told him about the pregnancy three different times, each time her mouth would open, the words would hover at the tip of her tongue, then she would force them back down, afraid that telling him would start a boulder rolling down a hill and she would have little to no control over what would happen after that.

Oliver had excused himself after dinner, disappearing into a room in the house where Felicity, and any other woman or child for that matter, was outrightly barred from. He had promised her he would be back before midnight when he left the house an hour later; and so here she sat, with Amelie tucked up and fast asleep in the adjoining room, and her mind folding over whether to tell Oliver what he had every right to know.

Felicity heard the door open slowly, the entrance of the room hidden around the corner from the bed. She slipped her bookmark into the book she had barely read and laid it gently down onto the nightstand, expecting Oliver to appear around the corner any moment.

The dim lights beside the bed caught only the side of his face as he glanced up at her and silently headed towards the bathroom. She listened to the door shut and moments later the shower start.

Felicity sat for a moment, confused at his silence. His routine had remained largely the same for weeks and he never silently bypassed her like he just did. She slipped her feet down onto the ground, the soft mat spongey underfoot as she wrapped a satin robe around her body, pulling it tightly over the top of her thin cream chemise nightgown.

“Oliver?” she asked quietly, opening the unlocked door.  
Steam pushed thick against her skin as she ventured inside the bathroom, waiting for an answer.

She found Oliver with his hands braced against the tiled wall of the shower, his head bowed low and water crashing down on the back of his head and shoulders. As Felicity ventured closer she saw the swirl of red in the water at his feet. Another hurried step closer and she could see the red raw of his knuckles, battered and bloody.

“Oliver?” she said, a slight panic in her voice as she stepped around the glass wall of the open shower  
He looked up at her slowly, water beading down his face. He was wearing next to no emotion, his blue eyes devoid of much of their light and his mouth anchored in neither a frown nor a smile.

“Oliver, what happened to you? Is that your blood?” she asked, cautiously afraid of the answer she might get.  
“Tommy knows you’re here, you’re not to leave the grounds of this estate at all” he said stoically as he turned his head back down into the cascade of hot water.

Felicity blinked slowly, deciding against taking Oliver to task on his demand that she not leave the grounds.  
“How do you know?” she asked, her body hovering so close to the shower that tiny cast offs from his body splattered against her sink gown  
“I just do?”  
“That’s the extent of what you’re going to tell me, you just do?”  
Felicity could hear her temperament rising and she tried to cap it, but she was growing frustrated at Oliver’s inability to even look at her right now.

“That’s all you need to know” he roared back  
Felicity’s head snapped up and her eyes pinched inward at the force with which he spoke.  
“If you intend to place me under house arrest then I expect a good reason” she retorted, her lips pursing in frustration at his closed off stance   
“Dammit Felicity, for once let’s not do this ‘you can look after yourself’ dance. I have watched you almost die two times, for once I need you to just listen to me”  
He twisted his body upward, standing stiffly in front of Felicity, water trailing haphazard paths down his body as his palm slammed against the wall. His eyes were dark and his breath heavy through the fog of steam, but she could tell there was only one word he needed to hear at that moment – everything else could wait.

“Okay” she soothed, her hand delicately reaching up and falling softly against his cheek  
Oliver’s eyes closed at the sensation of her thumb gently swiping back and forth against his cheekbone as he leaned his head into her hand.  
“I need you to be safe” he sighed, his eyes still closed, drinking in the slow motion movements of her thumb “I _need_ _you_ to be safe” he repeated, softer through another exhale

“I know Oliver, I am, we are” she replied, gently pushing herself up on her toes and pressing a soft kiss to his other cheek  
“I need you” Oliver hummed a low growl into her ear and she settled back down onto the soles of her feet  
“I’m right here”  
Another soft swipe of her thumb across his cheek.  
“I need you” he growled a second time, a wet hand slipping under her dusty pink satin robe

The press of his damp hand caused the chemise to stick against her body as he pulled her closer, a smattering of water drops making their mark on the fabric of her gown.

Felicity blinked up, catching the glint in his eye. That carnal, rampant desire was coursing through the blue of his iris and etched in each delicate line on his face.

He needed her.

 


	18. Reprieve

Felicity gasped, the cascade of water hitting hard against her skin as Oliver pulled her into the deluge, her satin nightclothes sticking sensually to every curve her body took. He pinned her against the wall, raising an arm above her head where he held her by the wrist, the tiles of the shower wall firm and cold against her skin.

He didn’t speak as he delved his mouth onto her neck, drinking in the water that was caught against her skin.

She could feel his hard, throbbing erection pushed in heavy against her stomach, forcing an exhale to push through her lips as he sought friction against her body.  
“Oliver” she moaned, his hands roughly trekking up her thighs, kneading into the curve of her ass.

He pulled back his lips, biting against her neck before his eyes met with hers. His brow was heavy, large drops of water drew paths down his face, his eyes were still as blue as the first day she laid eyes on them, but they were weathered now, touched by things that could not be erased – could not be forgotten.

She knew she would get no words from him tonight, he needed a closeness from her that was above words.

One hand stayed firmly embedded against her palm holding her arm stretched above her head, his other hand sliding deliciously slow up the outside of her thigh, grabbing in against it at random intervals. Oliver lips peppered rushed and haphazard kisses along her collarbone bone, growling contentiously at the fabric that still covered her shoulders.

Oliver’s teeth nipped at the satin fabric, drenched with warm water that pasted the fabric, slick with a wet glistening sheen, to her body. Felicity writhed underneath the pressure of his body, trying to gain any sort of leverage against the slippery tiles. His teeth skimmed the edge of the satin gown, yanking it roughly down her shoulders, the jolt of the ripping fabric pulling a breathy gasp from Felicity’s pouted lips.

The gown wasn’t moving off her body fast enough and Oliver snarled at the fabric before he pulled his hand from her thigh and jerked it feverishly down her arm, tearing the flimsy fabric completely along the shoulder seam. Felicity snapped her head down to the torn gown as it fell from her arm, waving poignantly under the falling water.

She folded her lips around an argument about the torn garment, but Oliver swallowed her words as he crashed his lips fiercely into hers, scouring her bottom lip with his tongue.

His teeth grazed her mouth, water parting around them, beating down a rhythmic pattern against his naked back and spitting cast off onto her flushed red cheeks. She gripped her fingers tight into his, grinding her pelvis into his stiff cock, causing Oliver to groan heatedly against her lips fogging up the air surround their cheeks.

Oliver’s tore at the this strap of the chemise, breaking it like fragile glass between his rough hands. He kissed the rivers of water bending paths across her exposed skin, with a more gentle hand peeling back the drenched fabric. He hummed hot breaths against her collarbone as his hand gently palmed against her breast, thumbing her pert nipple in fast flashes.

“Fe-li-city” he sighed against her skin, licking each soft syllable along her collarbone  
“I’m here Oliver, I’m always here” she whispered into his forehead, her fingers coursing through wet hair, nails tight against his scalp  
“I need you” his kisses were heavy across her chest, his scruff grazing the delicate silken skin  
“I know, I need you too” she smiled, tumbling her fingers down his face, feeling each curve and each angle

She watched his eyes glint through the cascading water as he turned his head softly, peering up from his perch just above her nipple. Oliver released her hand, smoothing his palm down her body, caressing in against each subtle curve her body took. Water dripped from his parted lips and she could feel his breath smattering against her damp skin.

His hands found ground on the curve of her firm ass, he pushed the dripping satin fabric up passed her naval, instinctively licking a path across his swelling lip at the discovery that there was no longer any fabric separating their bodies.

“Thought I’d save you some time” Felicity shrugged coyly as she watched Oliver’s eyes trail up her exposed body  
Her words drew a twistedly playful smile across his lips.  
“Don’t ever change” he growled as he cupped both hands deeply into the flesh of her ass, lifting her straight into the air, her back slipping slickly up the tiled wall, the speed of his movement pulling a rushed gasped from her lips, stopped midway by Oliver’s lips charging onto hers.

Her legs twisted around her waist, digging in against his hip bone, his slippery skin proving an adversary for such a position.

Felicity felt her body slipping back down the tiles, but Oliver caught the sensation before she could voice it. He hiked her back up, pushing her back firm against the back wall, pressing his own weight into her, sandwiching her firmly between the smooth, wet tiles and Oliver’s equally as smooth and wet chest.

Oliver buried his face between her breasts, his chin shoving the other side of the chemise over her other breast, the drenched, ruined fabric now coiled around her waist.

His lips folded around her breast, lightly at first, teasing the nub with a swish of his tongue, his eyes rose up to catch the panted breath caught between her lips. He nipped his teeth around the sensitive areola, watching as his actions caused Felicity to throw her head back, elongating her neck, stretching the delicate skin taunt across her pulse point.

He waited patiently for her chin to drop slowly and her breath to sooth, taking the moment to gently swell her nipple around his mouth. He watched the flush of colour blink across her cheeks, red like the freshest of roses. Just as her chin met back right angled with her neck, he nipped in again, harder this time, watching intently as her head flung back again, the skin once more pulling across every detail on her neck.

Oliver loved to watch her, to drink in every miniscule movement her body took as it related to the attention he lavished on her, there was nothing more erotic to him than to watch how she let herself go for him.

Felicity’s fingertips trickled down his chest, moving across the valleys and ridges she could now navigate blindly, she knew him intimately inside and out and despite the challenges they faced, Felicity never doubted they were at their strongest together.

Her hands reached the base of his throbbing cock, she gripped it tightly aware he needed no slow coaxing. It jolted in her hands causing her to push her palm in deeper, eliciting a rumbled growl from Oliver, reverberating the sensation against her breast.

She slid her hand up the length of his shaft, pulsing her hands over the tip – another growl, another richly sensual sensation on her breast. She thumbed over the tip, slick with a mixture of warm cascading water and the thin sliver of precum.

Oliver sucked in against her breast, pulling her nipple deeper into his mouth, scouting it around with his tongue, his chin kneading the flesh underneath, his teeth pulling the skin taunt. Felicity moaned unreservedly, kicking her heels in against his naked and firm ass.

She tugged his cock, smoothing it against her thigh, rolling it without friction between the silken skin of her thigh and the deep pressure of her palm.

Oliver moaned her broken name over her breast, panting it with such need that she thought he might release right there into her palm. She enjoyed the moment of power as she rubbed more furiously, purposefully digging her nails in just below the head. He thrust against her, greedy for the faster tandem movement.

“I need” he hissed into her nipple  
“What?” she smiled between a snagged lip “what do you need Oliver?”  
His hand tightened around her ass, she could tell he desperately wanted to put his hands elsewhere, knowing he enjoyed the sensation of easing them into her, but knowing too he couldn’t let her go, her body seated and stabled by his hands.

“I need, inside” he groaned, kissing a path across her chest before enveloping her other breast in a full sweeping motion  
“Full sentences Oliver” she purred, jostling his rock hard erection in her palm  
He huffed, hot air dancing tantalisingly around her nipple.

She moved the head of his swollen member to her entrance, lightly touching it against her wet, hot lips.  
Her name poured from his mouth, almost pleading. Oliver knew he was losing it, just having Felicity touch him, trust him and give herself to him completely was everything to him, enough in itself to pull him right to the edge of an orgasm.

She inched his tip inside her, slowly feeling the pressure of his cock stretching her. His mouth left off her breast, kissing up a trail from her breastbone up her neck and peppering atop her softly parted lips.

He didn’t need to say a word, the primal desire caught up in the blue of his eyes was plain for Felicity to see, he wanted approval to have her fast and hard, no gentle foreplay, no more teasing.

Felicity shifted her weight against the shower wall, her hands slowly leaving off his shaft, anchoring instead into his broad shoulders, before she folded her lips in, smiled coyly and nodded clearly.

Oliver wasted not even a second, driving himself deep into her. Felicity’s back arched, her mouth aghast with the sudden surge of fullness inside her. Her fingernails gripped in tight, pushing deep into his skin.

He drew half out, momentarily releasing the deep pressure inside Felicity, the lapse only lasting mere seconds before he pounced back inside, her body slipping limply up the wall as she focused her gripped legs around he waist.

Drew out, slammed back in – the movement repeated in a rhythmic precession that sped up with each repetition.

Felicity’s head dropped to his shoulder, her lips and teeth making contact with the firm round of his shoulder.

Oliver tilted her body up, his hands firm against her ass, opening her up allowing him to come in deeper, filling her to the hilt, her body surrounding ever pulsating inch of him.

He had no drawn out, prolonged stamina left, the release bearing down on him like a thundering earthquake.

“Let go” she panted into his ear, sucking on the lobe as she recognised the strain on his face.  
The pressure released from inside him, warm thick expulsion filling her, sinking into her walls, his trembling body inside her and his pelvis rubbing hard against her clit enough to satisfy her shortly after.

She wasn’t sure of it, but as he stayed seated deep inside her, his head lapsed onto her chest, she was sure he breathed a thank you.

 _Always they would be better, stronger, together._  
Each other’s forever. 

* * *

 

Oliver’s head lay heavy against Felicity’s chest, her fingers sweeping carelessly through his wet hair as he hummed his approval and lightly kissed the dewy skin of her breasts.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Felicity asked, her voice soft, barely above a whisper  
“Tommy sent us a message, he knows we’re here”” his breath was warm against her skin, blending in with the soft misting of water left on it.

“He must know we don’t have what he’s after anymore” she sighed, wrapping a section of damp hair around her finger, a motion which elicited a low growl  
“He’s not looking for that anymore, I’m not sure he ever really was” Oliver replied as his hand absently drew patterns over Felicity’s hip bone

“So what is he after?” she asked, swallowing the formed lump in the back of her throat, she was certain she already knew the answer  
“You Felicity, he’s after you” Oliver responded stoically

It was as she had thought. Tommy was caught up in the most divisive emotion. He was seeking revenge over Malcolm’s death, a death Felicity had caused when she pulled back the trigger and shot him. The repercussions of her action in that moment were not unexpected.

“You’re safe as long as you stay here. I need longer to prepare” Oliver spoke in drawn words that breathed warm air against her naked skin

Felicity’s eyes drew upward, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. She knew, without him needing to explain it, what Oliver was preparing for. He was preparing his steeled will to take the life of his a man he once thought of like a brother – an alignment of fates that had been her doing.

“You intend to kill him, don’t you Oliver?” she spoke softly, a single tear trailing down her cheek  
“Yes” Oliver replied simply, his voice devoid of the emotion that most would display  
“Please don’t, not for me Oliver…please” she started her words, her palm riding over the curve of his shoulder as he raised his head off her chest and locked his eyes onto hers  
“You didn’t make this choice Felicity, he did. He’s forcing my hand and I will do whatever it takes to protect you and Amelie”

Felicity watched as his eyes softened when he spoke his daughter’s name. Despite her fears at watching him walk down a darkening path, she could tell in that moment he had kept his word to not do it alone.

She had expected him to push her away, tell her it was time to leave again. Beg her to take Amelie a run, but he didn’t – he wasn’t.

Oliver was doing what she had wanted him to on the tarmac at the private airstrip all those weeks ago.

_“Oliver you promised me a forever. This is your forever moment Oliver, if you take my hand and come with me we will figure this out together, no matter what. But if you get on that plane, if you walk away from this and you leave us, then you choose a forever without us. You don’t get to come back from that. You don’t get to ever be a part of our lives again. So what will it be Oliver? Make your choice, choose your forever”_

Oliver had chosen them.  
Oliver had taken her hand, promised her they would figure it out together.  
He wasn’t running, he wasn’t pushing her away and he wasn’t standing alone on a figurative island.

Felicity bit her lip, smiling her eyes down at him as more tears drew lines down her face.  
“Oliver, I’m pregnant” she breathed, her voice shaking and unsure

Oliver didn’t blink away from her for what seemed like stretched hours, he made no movements and spoke no words. He just lay there, with his palm atop her hip and his chin resting between her breasts.

“Oliver, I’m-“ she started to repeat herself, fearing she imagined saying the words the first time  
“I heard you” he replied, cutting off her sentence, his eyes still refusing to move away from hers.

His lips stayed parted, his tongue, swept back and forth over his bottom lip.  
She needed something – anything – from him, a sudden wave of fear overwhelming her that perhaps her inclination to hide it from him had been the right one – perhaps she shouldn’t have told him, not here and not like this.

 _Say something_ her eyes pleaded with him, but he gave her nothing.

She watched as his chest heaved an intake of air and then dropped down in a heavy exhale before his mouth opened wide and he smiled the brightest smile she had ever seen. It was only as his cheeks drew upward under his smile that she noticed the tears forming in each corner of his eyes and the slight shaking of his bottom lip.

Oliver sat upright, the soft cotton sheet slipping away from around his torso, his weight propped up on a hand pushed deep into the mattress as his other hand hovered over her softly curved stomach. His index finger bent first, lightly sweeping over her silken skin, causing a flush of goose bumps to follow in its wake.

“You’re pregnant?” he finally spoke, the words soft and shaky, his glassy blue eyes blinking repeatedly  
Felicity nodded her head slowly, her lips folded inwards, but drawn up at the corners to form a soft smile.  
“Is it…” Oliver started, his palm lowering gently to touch her stomach  
“That question better not be ‘is it mine’” she laughed, swatting his arm

He closed his lips around a grin and shook his head with a laugh.  
“Is it alright, I mean, with everything that’s happened?”  
She watched as his eyes blinked towards her bandaged arm.  
“The test I took measures HGC levels so for them to register I think that’s a good sign” she smiled, the thought also had crossed her mind, but it was an unexplainable instinctual thing.

Oliver didn’t need to hear anything else as he pushed himself up against her and captured her lips onto his own, gently sucking in against her bottom lip, cupping it between his own. She felt the soft dewiness of his tears seep into her skin.

“I love you” he stumbled across her lips, kissing against her after each word

* * *

Felicity slowly rolled her neck, breathing in in the fresh air, her hand rolling across her swollen belly as she watched Oliver at a distance, pouncing foolishly through the overgrown wild flowers with Amelie close behind.

Six months.  
They had been in Russia for six months.  
Moira had returned to Starling four months ago. Despite her being the reason Felicity was standing here, breathing in the fresh air, today, Oliver had not told his mother about the pregnancy or about Thea. He had not forgiven her for the years of poor choices and selfish decisions that she had made. Felicity wasn’t sure he ever would.

Oliver himself had been walking a tightrope for months, swaying between the darkness of who he needed to become to protect his family and the lightness of his love for those most dear to him.

It had been a precarious balancing act and there had been times where Felicity thought she was losing him. Where his eyes would be so drawn, his face so aged and saddened that she wasn’t sure how to bring him back, but each time he would claw out of the pit and grasp onto her hand. She would not let him go. Not now, not ever.

Tommy had gone silent, as though he too was preparing himself for the showdown that would pit friend against friend. It seemed like he had given up, moved on, but they both knew that this was nothing but a lull before the storm. A man seeking revenge did not waver in his convictions until he took his last breath or he took the last breath of the one he sought revenge against.

Felicity was into her final trimester, Nadya had assured her the baby was healthy and strong and while Felicity had grown to admire and somewhat love the careless and easy candor of the gypsies that she spent time with, she had secretly insisted to Oliver that they retain a trusted, trained, Westernised Doctor.

Which they had, and who had, much to the proud glee of Nadya, told them that all was well and everything was on track.

The loud ringing of Oliver’s phone that he had asked Felicity to hold, jolted her from the moment. She glanced down at the display where she saw a joyously familiar name.

 _Dig_  
“John?” Felicity smiled as she answered the phone  
“I’ll give you another guess” an eerily familiar voice hissed down the phone.  
“Tommy” she barely whispered it, her eyes widening as she stole a moment to look at Oliver, Amelie and then down to her burgeoning stomach.

Their time of reprieve had abruptly ended.


	19. Signal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay... so close to the end now, I'm trying to ensure it ends well.
> 
> Thank you for your patience xox
> 
> Twitter: @someonesaidcake

“What have you done with John” Felicity scathed, her eyes habitually darting around the open field   
“Don’t stress, I hear it can be detrimental to babies”  
She could hear him smiling down the phone.

“I have no issues with your friend John here, not yet anyway. My issue is with you – you and I have unfinished business”  
“What do you want?”  
“I want you back on familiar ground. Let’s save some of the collateral damage that would be involved if I came to you. That young girl that follows you around, she draws an exceptional portrait – it would be a shame if she never got a chance to really show her talents as an adult”

Felicity could feel her heart rate rising and the lump forming at the back of her throat was threatening to burst forth.  
“These people have done nothing wrong” Felicity hissed, watching Oliver still carelessly playing with Amelie

“Well, unless you count being affiliated with the Mob” he laughed uncharacteristically loud before stopping abruptly.  
“I know you’ll try to trace this call, so let me save you the time. Return to Starling City within a week and John Diggle will meet you, alive and in one piece, at the airport”

Before she could react, the phone went dead. She lost any control over her feelings as she cursed loudly and threw the phone onto the ground. It was only then Oliver noticed something was wrong.

* * *

  
“Did he say anything else?” Oliver asked, pacing the bedroom – the first place he had marched them the instant after Felicity mentioned Tommy’s name in the field

“No, I’ve told you exactly what he said, word for word Oliver” Felicity sighed, exasperated by the fact it was the tenth time he had framed that same question

“What are you doing?” he asked grabbing her wrist as she emptied the drawers in the room  
“I’m packing, was that not obvious?” she snapped, aware of the tone she was taking with him, but unable to control it within the moment.  
“You aren’t returning to Starling” Oliver replied bluntly, taking the stuff from the suitcase and putting it back in her drawers

Felicity huffed loudly and gritted her teeth as she pushed her hands into her hips, balancing them there.  
“Care to elaborate Oliver?” she spoke, her eyes narrowing after briefly checking the door between their room and Amelie’s was closed   
“You’re not taking yourself, our daughter and our unborn baby and delivering yourself into the hands of a mad man”  
“He has John”  
“And what do you think would be John’s response to that?”

Felicity pushed loose hair back from her face, her blue eyes glaring across at Oliver, barely two feet away.

He was right, he was absolutely right – John would be saying the exact same thing Oliver was right now.

She rolled words over her lips trying to formulate any sort of realistic response.  
“Well I don’t care” was the best she could come up with and she resented it the instant the words came from her mouth – she sounded like a defiant teenager

“Well I do, and you’re not going. You’ll stay here, I’ll return”  
“So I’m supposed to sit here and just let you fight my battles for me?”  
“Yes, yes that is exactly what you’re supposed to do, because it’s not just you anymore”

His eyes drew straight down to her burgeoning stomach.  
“Oliver please, I can’t let there be any more blood on my hands, I can’t stay here and let you go. I can’t put the good people who have helped us here in Tommy’s crosshairs”  
“And I can’t let you go. If I have to lock you in this room to keep you safe that is what I’ll do Felicity, whether you hate me for it or not”

She raked her fingers across her scalp, as she turned on her heels and walked circles around the patterned rug.  
“And are you sure this isn’t exactly what Tommy wants us to do?” she sighed  
“I don’t follow” Oliver responded, folding his arms habitually over his broad chest

“Divide and conquer Oliver, he knows that if he separates us he has a greater chance at getting to us. He draws you back to Starling, knowing that you’ll make sure I stay here. He gave that ultimatum to me because he knew exactly how this would play out. So either I accept what you ask and stay here, alone, separated – or I defy your request and I return alone, separated – whatever path we took we were separated”

She stopped her pacing leaning her body up against the back of the vintage armchair.  
“He knows what he’s doing and we’re simply playing into it”

Oliver sighed stepping a few feet forward to close the gap that had formed between them.  
“Then how do we do this?” he asked, his eyes glassed over with concern  
“We give him what he’s not expecting. We give him a united front” Felicity replied, standing to bridge the small gap still left between them

“But to risk you, to risk this” he whispered as he placed his hand gently on her stomach  
“We can protect him” she smiled “or her” she finished with a shrug

“We’re stronger together, you believe that, I believe that and he knows it” she spoke softly, her hand grazing the side of his bristled jaw 

* * *

 

“You should tell her” Felicity mused as she watched out the darkened window of the private jet, there was nothing to see but it kept her mind occupied to watch the wings gently bow and tip as they followed the plotted course back to Starling

“Tell who?” Oliver yawned, his eyes barely open as he sat opposite Felicity, Amelie wrapped in a bundled blanket, fast asleep on his lap  
“Your mother, you should tell her about the baby” Felicity sighed, rolling a hand over her bump  
“She’ll find out soon enough” Oliver replied through a huff

Felicity turned her head to look at him, her tired blue eyes hidden behind her glasses, her hair pulled back but falling loosely around her face.  
“You should tell her about Thea” she spoke bluntly the thoughts that had been resonating through her mind for months.

It had felt cruel to her, especially now as their baby grew inside her, that Oliver had kept the knowledge that Thea was alive to himself, hiding the fact from his mother – Thea’s mother.

“She doesn’t deserve to know” Oliver replied, refusing to meet Felicity’s stare  
“Because you’re mad at her or because it’s in Thea’s best interests?” Felicity questioned rhetorically – they both knew the answer.

“Once I find a way to bring Thea back, then she can know”  
“Oliver, look at me” Felicity pushed, her eyes focused on him  
He turned slowly to meet her gaze as he instinctively wrapped his protective arms around his sleeping daughter.  
“Imagine if I kept her from you, kept this baby from you” her hand settled on the rise of her stomach

“For any faults we have, it would be the most cruellest of tragedies to weep for a child you thought dead. You are not cruel Oliver. Give Moira hope, not as her son if you don’t wish it, but as Thea’s mother. Don’t follow her guidance and hide a child from their parent”

The familiar lights of Starling City blinked in the fast approaching distance as Oliver silently considered Felicity’s words. He pushed a kiss atop his daughter’s head, breathing in the fresh scent of her pink candyfloss soap as he tried to imagine a world where she was still lost to him.

The mere thought of it broke his heart.  
“You’re right, she should know” he spoke simply before the word came over the PA system that they were preparing for landing.

* * *

  
Oliver held Amelie’s head flush against his shoulder as he took a breath and the first step out of the plane. He had arranged some ‘associates’ to do a sweep of the private landing strip before the plane touched down and the word had come back that there was nothing untoward in the vicinity.

They had however found John Diggle sitting on the bonnet of a black town car inside one of the empty hangars and it was him who Oliver saw approaching in the distance now.

“I’m sorry that this brought you back, but I am glad to see you” John said, pulling Felicity into a tight hug  
“You’ve gotten huge” he cracked a smile as he spoke

* * *

  
“So Tommy just let you go?” Oliver asked as he shuffled in the black leather seat of the limo being driven by an associate now under Oliver’s authority

“I know, it doesn’t make much sense. He said he just needed a way to contact you, something that would ensure your return. He said he had no complaint with me provided I stay out of his way from here on out. He dropped me at the hangar about thirty minutes before you landed and told me to wait. I wish I had more, I’m sorry” John replied, rubbing his palm roughly against his head

“You’ve got no reason to be sorry John” Felicity replied, wincing at a sudden pain in her side  
Oliver quickly leaned across to her, grasping her hand tightly.  
“Are you okay?” he asked, the fear etched across his face  
“I’m fine, Braxton hicks is all, it’s nothing-” she paused breathing through the sharp pain in her side “-to be alarmed about”  
“You’re only seven and a half months through, you shouldn’t be having those yet” Oliver remarked, squeezing her hand tightly

“I swear I will smack whoever gave you those damn pregnancy books” she winched, before exhaling as the pain subsided “I’m fine, it’s fine Oliver” she finished with a smile

“Did Tommy give you anything else John, did he say anything more?” she asked, turning her attention back to John on the seat across from them, Amelie tucked up – still asleep – next to him

“Just that you would hear from him. I was to tell you, he would send you a signal. I wish I had more” John replied, his eyes downcast as he spoke  
“I glad you’re safe Dig, and despite the circumstance, I am glad to be home with my boys” Felicity smiled, her hands stroking Oliver’s leg as she gently patted Dig’s knee

* * *

  
**Two Weeks Later**

A week passed, then two with no news – no signal from Tommy.

Oliver had purchased a modern estate house on the outskirts of town and filled it with associates who spoke in hushed Russian and carried at least four concealed weapons each. It took Oliver only a few days to turn the white, architecturally designed house into a virtually impenetrable fortress. Everything from the penthouse had been moved into the house and Felicity – for lack of a better expression – had found herself, and Amelie, under house arrest.

A particularly burly Russian named Slavk accompanied her everywhere, staying a mere two steps behind her when she moved about the house and at one point he even followed her into the bathroom where she quickly shooed him out again.

It was suffocating but she understood Oliver’s reasoning, he was simply trying to protect what he treasured most.

Tommy’s silence had him rattled and nervous. Felicity had long decided that had been Tommy’s plan for their return all along. He was toying with them, making them live on the edge waiting for something to happen. Oliver would pace the room at night, constantly checking the monitors that showed him Amelie’s room. He was restless, tired and drawn down – just as Tommy had intended.

Dig and Lyla had relocated to the estate also, moving into one of the smaller guest houses on the property. Lyla, at Felicity’s request, would watch over Amelie, in an attempt to try and maintain some normality around the young girl. Oliver had forbade her returning to school and instead had vetted out two tutors who would spend a few hours a day with her, Lyla always nearby if Felicity couldn’t be.

Despite Oliver’s resolution to let his mother know about both the impending arrival of his and Felicity’s baby and the news that Thea is still alive, he had not yet gone to do either and as the morning sun broke through the blinds in the room Felicity pressed a warm kiss into Oliver’s back and decided that this ought to be the day.

“I will make arrangements to see your mother tonight Oliver, it’s time she knew the truth. It’s time you told her” she spoke the words into the curve of his shoulder, pressing her pregnant belly into the palm of his hand that cupped over the curve gently – like he had made a custom of doing every morning.

Oliver offered no response. Felicity was right. It was time.  
 _It was time._

* * *

  
“Oliver” Moria gushed as he opened the door to let her in  
He stepped back from her, not ready to embrace her as her son as he once would have. There was still a distance between them, word that had yet to be spoken and mistakes that had yet to be forgiven.

Oliver was unsure if the time would ever come when he would welcome his mother with open and trusting arms. She had taken so much from him, broken down every facet of trust and belief he had in her. She was like a stranger to him and the hurt was still so deep.

He felt that pain every time the baby kicked at out his hand laid on Felicity’s stomach. Every morning that he woke before Felicity and he watched her sleep with quiet contentment he would scorn his mother for the years of having such a feeling taken from him. For that, he was unsure he could ever truly offer her forgiveness.

“We can talk in the sitting room” Oliver said bluntly as he led the way down the hall  
“I was glad to hear of your safe return son and thankful that you finally reached out to me” Moira spoke as Oliver stopped in front of the sitting room door.

“This was not my idea, you owe that thankfulness to Felicity. Despite everything you put her through, she has a heart large enough to allow you some forgiveness. Forgiveness, let me be clear, that I do not have for you. I wish you could have seen it all those years ago, seen the type of person she is. You thought her young, weak and not good enough, but in reality Felicity is wise beyond her age, one of the strongest people I know and is more than I ever deserve” Oliver let his words linger in the space between them

“I won’t try to say that I had my reasons Oliver, you know them and perhaps looking back now they were not strong enough ones to hurt you the way I did, but I am sorry. I will be eternally sorry for the transgressions I have made”

Oliver nodded, acknowledging the words she spoke.  
“This is not an open invitation back into mine, our lives, but it may be a start” he spoke calmly as he pushed down on the door handle and slowly opened the door inward.

He smiled seeing Felicity sitting quietly on the couch, waiting for him. Unsure of the words that might be spoken in a heated, emotion-driven moment, they had decided that now was not the time for Amelie to also be in the room. She was safely tucked up in bed upstairs, fast asleep and unaware of the heavy emotion that hung in the air of the room underneath her.

Felicity stood as Moira entered the room after Oliver. There was no hiding the burgeoning presence of Felicity’s baby bump, nor was there any way for Moira to conceal her look of surprise.

Nervously, as she had waited for them, Felicity had drawn a picture in her mind of Moira’s horrified face and a long winded diatribe about how the baby could not possibly be Oliver’s that this was somehow entrapment – an idea that had made Felicity smile given the fact she could almost recount for a certainty that she had fallen pregnant that night they had shared together in Nanda Parbat.

Instead of the horrified exclamation she was expecting, Felicity saw something markedly different on Moira’s face. It was not horror, it was not disgust, it was not even contrite annoyance – she saw a flicker of joy.

Moira looked up at her son and smiled, a tear forming in her eye  
“I’ve done so much wrong by you, I’m glad despite that you managed to find your happiness” she said, still trying to maintain a stiff upper lip

“When are you due?” she asked, turning her softened face towards Felicity  
“In about 6 weeks” Felicity replied cautiously, still half expecting the stoic face of the woman that had so cruelly turned her and Amelie away all those years ago

Moira took a step forward then stilted her advance, knowing that she was there by good graces alone.  
“Do you know what you’re having?” she asked, the stiff upper lip slowly replaced with a softened smile

In the moment Felicity felt a weight lifting around the room. She would not forget the moments that they two women had shared that had shaped Felicity’s life up to that point, but as a mother it was not hard to understand the desire to protect your children no matter the cost.

“We’re not sure, it will be a surprise” Felicity replied, taking a step towards Moira  
Despite everything, she truly felt there was a chance at repairing this fractured family – at least a little.  
“And you’re well?”  
Felicity nodded slowly “we’re both doing just fine”

Oliver watched as the women stood at a distance that was growing smaller with each few words they took. He had never noticed before but there was a quiet strength about both of them.

“Would you like to--?” Felicity blinked down at her stomach, running a hand across it slowly, without words offering Moira the chance to do the same.

Moira felt the stabbing pain guilt and remorse for all the wrong that she had heaped on Felicity – and Oliver – all those years. She could see now, just how wrong she had been in her assumption that Felicity had only ever been there for the money and the name. She could tell now that Felicity had loved her son in the way she had always wanted for him.

She wished in that moment, despite where the path of love and becoming a father back then would have taken Oliver (into the hands of the ‘Family’) that she had given Oliver the choice, that she had given them the chance.

Her hand lay gently against Felicity’s stomach as a moment of quiet acceptance of the rebuild that was happening between the three whose lives were intrinsically wrapped around each other.

“Baby has a strong kick, like Oliver” Moira spoke quietly into the softening air around them.

There was no instant forgiveness to be asked for, or to be offered, but this was a start – this was the beginning.

“There is more you should know” Oliver said, breaking the quiet that had fallen over the room.  
The three separated from each other, Oliver leaning against a side table, Felicity easing her aching pelvis back into the couch and Moira taking a position in front of the window, standing a few feet from Oliver.

“And there is more that you should know too” Moira answered, smoothing her painted nails down the side of her black tailored pants.  
“First, I need to tell you about Thea” Oliver spoke, folding her lips over her name, he didn’t speak it often as the name held so much pain for him

Saying her name brought back a deluge of memories, good ones, happy ones – but always finished with the feeling of his hand slipping away from hers as he fell into a deep unconscious in the cold dark ocean.

“I miss your sister every day” Moira sniffed, letting a soft and honest tear slip from her eye  
“She’s alive mom” Oliver spoke with downward eyes – only looking up when he heard the gasp escape from his mother’s lips

“But, no, how do you know?” she asked fervently   
“Because, I’ve seen her. She’s alive and we’ll bring her home”

He took a step towards her, seeing the look of surprised and unrestrained joy flicker across his mother’s face. Felicity had been right – a mother deserves to know.

He was only a foot from her when the sound of shattering glass pierced through the room, ricocheting off every surface with such tenacity that it forced Oliver to drop to his knees and Felicity to cover her ears. The room filled with gas that thickened the air and blinded them in seconds.

An alarm screamed through the house as the shattering window triggered it and in seconds the room was flooded with readied guns.

“Felicity!” Oliver called, looking straight towards the couch where he had last seen her  
“I’m fine” she responded, coughing as the smoke dissipated in a matter of moments

Oliver heaved out a sigh of relief before he allowed his eyes to look to the ground in front of him – where he saw something he would never be prepared for.

His mother’s splayed-out body, gasping for air, two arrows lodged in her heart.

“Mom” he cried as he scampered to her side, a scattering of Bratva moving back from Oliver as he scooped Moira’s head into his hands.

With the strength that remained in her, Moira placed a blood covered hand onto Oliver’s face, pulling him closer to hear the words she needed to say.  
“I am sorry son, be better at life than I was. Find Thea”

Her hand dropped from his face as her body went limp, a few stunted breaths followed ending in a pushed exhale. She was gone. She was dead.

That was Tommy’s signal.  
He was coming for them now.

 


	20. Reckoning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter....  
> ....let's do this.

The rain blanketed like a heavy stage curtain over the crowd of people dressed in black. The ground was sodden underfoot as Oliver placed the single long stem rose on the glazed redwood coffin.

Felicity watched from the row of black framed chairs behind him as Dig held the large umbrella over the two of them. She wished desperately she could console in him, offer him something, anything, that would bring him some comfort. He had not spoken more than simplified words to her since that night six days ago. He instead walked dark hallways and took hushed phone calls – for reasons she feared, his grief was causing him to pull away, from her – from them.

*********

“Oliver please” Felicity pleaded, grabbing his wrist as they entered the front door the house, flanked by Bratva associates

Oliver stopped, his dark shoes halting on the white marbled floor as he looked over his left shoulder, his face devoid of any emotion Felicity could read.  
“You haven’t spoken to me in days Oliver, you sleep on the couch in your study instead of in our bed with me. I’ve had two appointments for the baby that you haven’t even asked how they went. You’re hurting Oliver, let me help you” a pained tear fell from her eye, marring a trail down her cheek.

“Are you and the baby well?” Oliver asked, his tone devoid of any of its usual warmth  
“Yes” Felicity replied, fudging the actual truth that she had been warned her blood pressure was far too high and that if she didn’t take it easy for the next few weeks she could very well be welcoming her child earlier than anticipated.

“Then there isn’t really any more to discuss” he turned on the sole of his shoe and proceeded to walk briskly down the hall towards his office  
“I know what you’re doing Oliver, you’re trying to push me away so that I’ll leave and you’ll be safe in the knowledge that I’m the one that left, that I’m the one that gave up on us”

“Then if that is what I’m doing, why don’t you just accept it?”  
“No, no, you are not getting away that easily Oliver. You’re grieving and I understand that, but don’t shut me out of this, don’t push your family away”

“What family? Thea is all but lost to me, my mother is dead and my father is not the man he purports to be”  
“Me Oliver, you have me and your child” she paused realising the slip “your children” she corrected

He said nothing with his mouth, but his cold, darkened eyes said what Felicity feared the most – he no longer wanted that family.  
“But you don’t want that anymore do you?” she breathed, taking a stumbled step back from him  
“You blame me for all of this, don’t you?” her lips pursed over the question.  
His silence in refuting it was deafening

“Well I guess you’ll get what you want then, eventually you’ll resent me enough that I’ll leave, but not until you see your son” the tears flowed down her cheeks, burning like hot oil down her skin  
“Surprise, he’s a boy” she whispered, her voice cracking over the tears as he lay her palms on her stomach “the nurse accidently told me the last appointment, so” she paused, blinking back the tears “now you know too”

Oliver swallowed the hitch in his throat.  
His son.  
Felicity had known Oliver had wanted to know the sex of the baby, but she had begged for it to be a surprise, he had gone along with what she wanted to appease her, but now he knew - they were having a little boy.

He reached out his hand, desperate to touch her, to tell her she was wrong – he didn’t blame her, he blamed himself, and that she was right – he was trying to close her out to push her away because he couldn’t stand the idea that he could lose her too.

“We found this one, skulking around the perimeter” a gruff voice interrupted as two men the size of houses threw a black cloaked man onto the floor in a groaning heap

Oliver withdrew the hand that had been seeking Felicity’s touch, his eyes clouding over and his jaw stiffening.  
“Take him to the cellar” Oliver instructed gruffly as he took the cufflinks from his shirt  
  
“Oliver, what are you going to do?” Felicity ask, swiping back the tears as she recognised the face of a man who was hell bent on taking revenge on whatever he could find  
“Make him talk” Oliver replied bitterly as he following the men towards the door down to the cellar

“Oliver, don’t lose the light, don’t lose yourself” Felicity pleaded, her hand reaching for him

He looked back only briefly before he closed the cellar door and she was left alone staring at grooves in the pattern of the wooden door.  
“Don’t lose the light” she whispered to the door, offered as though it were a prayer.

* * *

  
Oliver didn’t flinch anymore when he saw the blood mixing with the water as he ran his hands under the cold tap. He took no joy from getting what he needed, there was no pleasure in inflicting enough on a person to make them give you the information you sought – but he had become numb to it.

Necessity had forced him to do so.  
He had already lost too many people that he cared about.  
Oliver would make sure that the next death would not be from his side.

The vibration of his phone on the vanity beside him drew him swiftly back to reality.  
“Yes?” he answered abruptly  
“So you have an associate of mine with you. I assume you got the information you wanted from him” Tommy smiled down the phone line

Oliver offered no response.  
“Ahh the stoic silent type, it befits you Oliver. Anyway, I;ve decided to make this easy for you. I will be on the rooftop of my father’s company for the next 30 minutes. You will come along with your Felicity and we’ll end this. Come soon Oliver and don’t come alone”

* * *

“Where are you going?” Felicity asked from the top of the staircase, her eyes trained on Oliver as he paused in the open front door.

She watched his back as he took a breath and looked back at her.  
“To end this” he replied simply, taking what he hoped wouldn’t be the last look he would ever get of her.

He left through the front door without giving Felicity the chance to respond – he couldn’t hear what she had to say and he couldn’t look at the pain that she wore across her face. He had to keep her safe, no matter what.

Oliver has instructed his associates to shoot at anyone who came on the grounds and to keep his family safe inside.

“So where are we going?” Dig asked, his body leant against the black SUV  
“We’re going nowhere” Oliver replied, stopping in front of his friend  
“I’m not other people Oliver. That man you’re after, he threatened my sister, my niece and my friend” his hand came down onto Oliver’s shoulder “I’m going with you”

Oliver, too emotionally spent to argue, simply nodded, perhaps he was even glad for the company.

“Did you tell her?” Dig asked as he folded into the driver’s seat  
“It’s best she doesn’t know” Oliver replied, slumping his body down into the passenger seat  
“I don’t think you get to decide that for her”  
“You too?” Oliver sighed  
“I’m just saying, Felicity is built from moments that would make others crumble, but if you keep pushing her away and shutting her out, you will lose her. Is that a price your willing to pay?”

Oliver sat silently in the black leather seat, his mind barrelling over John’s words – but all his mind could land on was his need to keep her safe – whatever the price.

* * *

  
The air was crisp and the night was illuminated less by stars and more by scattered lights around the city. The dim lit lights of the helipad on the rooftop lit the sealed gravel underfoot as Oliver and John stepped out through the door and into whatever would befall them.

“You came alone, I knew you would. You never were one to follow instructions Oliver. All you had to do was give me the girl and you could have walked away” Tommy called from the shadows as he slowly stepped forward into the light  
“Not an option. You want her, you come through me” Oliver replied, stiff in his delivery, his eyes trained on Tommy as Diggle surveyed, with his gun out, the 3 other cloaked figures that were standing in the shadows behind Tommy

“Interesting proposal Oliver, but why should I when I can have her do it for me” Tommy smiled as he beckoned one of the shadowy figures to step forward.

Her face hasn’t shrouded and Oliver recognised his sisters face immediately as she stepped from the darkness. He eyes were drawn, absently of any recognition of what he was or what she was there to do.

She had grown so much, Oliver concluded, as his mind played over their youth together – her much younger than him, he had doted on her with brotherly conviction. Oliver had always looked after his sister and to see her as she was now made Oliver feel like he had failed in that obligation he had always placed on himself.

“What a conundrum you have found yourself in Oliver. Your girlfriend or your sister? You have to fight one to save the other, or give up one to bring back the other. Decisions, decisions” Tommy smirked, a finger tapping at his temple.

“How about I just kill you and end this” Oliver growled, pulling the short blade from his sheath  
“Because nothing is ever that simple Oliver. You want your sister back then you betray your girl. You want your girl then you condemn you sister. What price are you willing to pay?”

“Decide quickly” Tommy smiled as he nodded towards Thea who drew a long sword out from the sheath on her back  
“Time waits for no man. You’re the axis Oliver, decide where this twists” Tommy stepped back, allowing Thea to take him place in front of Oliver

“Thea, I’m not going to fight you, it’s me Ollie, your brother” Oliver chanted, backing away slowly as Thea advanced

For a moment Oliver could have sworn he saw a flicker of recognition pass over her eyes, but it was gone the moment she swung at him.

Oliver ducked, holding his blade above his head to block the downward momentum of her swing. The sound of steel against bronze echoed through the almost still night as Oliver blocked each left or right swing she made.

Her movements were precise but slow due to the weight of the sword she was fighting with, giving Oliver ample time to predict where her next swing would land and deflect the same.

Right and then left, left a second time, then down towards his knee’  
“Thea, I know you’re still in there somewhere. We don’t need to be doing this” Oliver called as he spun away from the blow aimed directly at his head.

She was showing no mercy in her aim, each stroke she made was designed to mortally wound him. He could not keep this up, knowing if he missed blocking even one this would be over. He needed to stop her, subdue her.

“I love you Thea” he said as she raised her arms, positioning the blade to swoop down onto him. With only slight hesitation Oliver snapped his elbow into her sternum, winding her almost instantly.

His forearm came down against her neck, knocking her off balance. A kick to her hand ejected the blade from its grip and sent it crashing to the floor.

She struggled for breath as his palm connected with her the base of her spine, in an exact location that sent her crumpled and unconscious – falling back into his arms.

He felt a wave of guilt as he lay her down on the ground, but he knew she would be fine and he at least had her now.

Without a moment’s hesitation Oliver barrelled towards Tommy, who almost stood there waiting – expecting – Oliver to make such a move.

Oliver’s blade was heavy against Tommy’s throat, his eyes trained on the pulse point that was pulsing rapidly under the pressure of the cold steel.  
“Why shouldn’t I kill you?” Oliver asked, his voice as rough as sandpaper “I asked you that once before when I wanted a reason not to have to. I’m asking it now so you give me a reason to”

Oliver fist brutally rained down against Tommy’s nose, the crack of it bouncing off the surfaces around, blood instantly gushing down Tommy’s face.

“Go ahead Oliver, I have no need to stop you. My destiny is done” Tommy smiled, spitting a mouthful of blood to the ground at this side as Oliver tightened his grip around the collar of Tommy’s shirt

“You failed Tommy, you wanted to avenge your father, take his place, rule over the League. You get none of that, you have failed” Oliver shouted, the vein running along his temple pulsing at the effort exerted  
“I only ever had one task, to kill the one who murdered my father. It isn’t my blade that she will taste, but it will be done”

Oliver watched as Tommy’s lips twisted into a menacing smile and haunting chuckle ripped through the still night.  
“I knew you would come alone Oliver. You left her all alone”

Oliver’s hand shook, the sword dropping with a clang to the ground underfoot.  
“ _Divide and conquer_ ” Felicity has said  
“ _We’re stronger together, you believe that, I believe that and he knows it_ ”

He had left her alone.  
Suddenly the air around him felt heavy. All he could hear were those words repeating through his brain. He didn’t see Tommy reach for a blade from a sheath on his legs. He didn’t see him raising it mere inches from Oliver’s pulsing throat. He heard nothing until he heard Dig’s voice calling out to him.

“Oliver, he has a knife”  
Oliver’s reflexes were like lightening, grabbing the sword at his feet and plunging it without hesitation into the chest of one he once considered a brother. The knife from Tommy’s hand fell backwards onto the ground as blood spilled up from Tommy’s throat, coughing out into his mouth.

He slumped backwards, Oliver’s arms gliding him to rest on the paved ground underfoot.

It was done.

“покой коллега” Oliver whispered  
“Rest, brother” he repeated the same sentiment in English

  
********

Felicity knew something was wrong as soon as the power was cut. The bedroom was plunged into darkness and she could hear the drumming commotion outside the windows.

She wasn’t surprised.  
All of the events since she met Oliver in that casino – a place and time that seemed like years ago now – it was always going to end this way. She had made her peace with it since she saw the face of the man she had killed flash across the TV screen.

Her ghosts would always haunt her until her toll was paid.  
She blinked two small tears from her eyes as her hands trailed down her stomach. She hadn’t planned on that and she had prayed for more time before the reckoning in the hopes that her son – their son, could be given a chance. The tears were for him.

Felicity’s feet touched against the floor, pulling herself up in the dark before she reached into the side tabled and pulled out a gun. The moon gave her the light she needed to check what she already knew – the cartridge was full and she had a spare.

She tucked the spare into the back of her pants. She had only one path to take and she had spent days ensuring that even in the dark she could find it. There were 76 steps to Amelie’s room, the only 76 steps she needed to make.

The sound of smashing glass echoed through the house. Gunfire and booming orders shouted in Russian. She didn’t have much time.

She held the gun poised in her grip as she pulled open the bedroom door. They hadn’t made it upstairs yet. She counted as her feet took each step as fast as she could carry herself in the circumstances.

At 49 steps she pressed herself against the dip in the wall that led to the bathroom, swallowing the lump forming in her throat as the noise from downstairs almost ceased completely.

27 more steps. She could see the outline of Amelie’s door.  
She checked left and right, not a sight, not a sound.

25 steps  
19 steps  
12 steps  
5 steps  
She reached the door handle and turned it.

Rolling herself against the doorframe she entered the room and leant against the door as it closed. The room was still and almost silent, but for a quiet whimpering coming from the closet.

“Amelie? It’s mommy, come out honey” Felicity whispered

The wardrobe door slowly opened as Amelie, dressed in her Little Mermaid pyjamas crept out from the behind the door.  
“Mommy, what’s going on? I’m scared” she cried softly as she wrapped her arms around Felicity’s legs  
“I know baby, but it’s going to be fine okay, I just need you to do what Mommy asks and be really brave, can you do that?” Felicity asked, crouching as best she could to be close to Amelie’s eye level.

The little girl nodded slowly up and down, as she pushed her long blond locks back from her face.  
“Can you find your headphones that daddy got you baby?”  
Amelie nodded, pointing up to the white bookcase against a wall to the left of Felicity.  
“Good girl” Felicity smiled, hiding the fear that was coursing through her body as she grabbed down the branded headphones that Felicity had chastised Oliver for buying – they were too fancy and too expensive for a 5 year old she had told him. He had simply smiled and offered her a wink.

Now she quietly thanked him for buying top of the line noise cancelling headphones.  
“Take these in your cupboard and I want you to sit right in the back, as far back as you can go, okay sweetheart”  
Amelie nodded as she opened the frosted glass door and clambered over her shoes to reach the back corner.

Felicity took the small pink floral blanket from Amelie’s bed and lay it over the little girl’s leg, tucking it in around her waist.  
“We’re going to play a little game okay Melie?”  
Amelie nodded slowly, her eyes still wet with tears.  
“Do you remember how we buried Uncle Dig in the sand that one time and you told him to stay super still?”  
“Yes” came the little response  
“It’s going to be just like that, Mommy is going to put all your stuffed animals and clothes around you, and you have to stay as still as you can”  
Felicity took a knee and placed a hand against the little girl’s wet cheek.  
“I need you to stay still and stay in here. No matter what happens, you put your headphones on and you stay still okay Melie, do you understand what mommy is saying?”  
“Yes mommy, like hide and seek”  
“That’s right baby, but you don’t come out. No matter what anyone says or does. You stay here, you stay hidden and you’ll win okay?”  
“Are you going?”  
“No baby, mommy will be right outside the door, but you need to stay in here, promise me Melie, whatever happens that you will stay here unless Mommy or Daddy or Uncle Dig says its okay to come out”  
“I promise mommy”

Felicity placed a gentle kiss on her daughter’s forehead.  
“I love you baby girl”  
“I love you too mommy”  
Felicity managed a reassuring smile before she placed the headphones over Amelie’s ears.

She filled the cupboard with toys and books and clothes strewn across the bottom of it, piling up and the sides, burying Amelie under the mountain of stuff.

More gunshots rang out through the once still night, closer now than they had been before. When she was satisfied Amelie was hidden as best as she could be she blew her a kiss and closed the door.

Walking to the window she pushed it open and hurriedly tied the sheets from Amelie’s bed together, around the bedframe and threw the makeshift rope out the window, hoping it would make anyone assume Amelie had already left the house.

She lifted the mattress from the bed, straining the muscles across her chest and sending a rippling pain banding over it. The pain caught her breath and she had to snap her lips closed, holding them between her teeth to stop herself from screaming at the sensation.

With whatever strength she still possessed she pulled the mattress over to the cupboard where she had buried Amelie and placed it across the door, thankful that Oliver had once again refused to skimp on anything for his daughter and hopeful that the thick expensive mattress would stop any stray bullets – or at the least, slow them down.

She had little strength left as her stomach tightened and a stabbing pain drove deep into her pelvis. She knew there was little likelihood she was getting out of this alive, but regardless she would fight till there wasn’t a breath left in her.

She slid down the wall opposite the cupboard, there was no way she could fight on a hand to hand level with well-trained assassins while she was 8 months pregnant. The only option she had was to shoot anyone that came through that door.

Her position pressed up against the wall and next to the set of drawers afforded her the perfect view of the bedroom door. Her eyes looked over to the cupboard on the opposite wall and she offered a quiet wish that Amelie wouldn’t see this, wouldn’t hear this and would be okay.

Felicity had to kill again.  
Without restraint, without mercy.  
She heard the crash of someone coming up the stairs.  
Voices she didn’t recognised and muffled footsteps were just outside the door.  
She saw the door handle twisting  
It was time.

They entered the room as she expected them to, cloaked in black, masked and fast. She felt the hot burn of the first tear as she squeezed the trigger. The sound seemed more deafening than it had ever before, the crack of it sounded like a whip against solid ground.

She knew she hit one, but there was no glory in that.  
They knew she was there now, so leaving only a split second to aim each shot she fired four more times.

Three went down in what seemed like slow motion, the fourth – she had missed him. She went to shoot again, but the expectant jerk back never came – the gun wouldn’t fire. A split second was all that separated his blade from her and the gun didn’t fire.

Her eyes shut tight expecting the searing pain of death. A gunshot close by gave her breath back and her eyes jolted open to see the masked menacing face replaced by Lyla’s.

“Are you okay?” Lyla asked, holding her hand to her arm – she had been injured  
Felicity caught her breath, realising she had been holding it since the door had come crashing open. She was cold, shivering and pain was coursing through her body – but she was alive. She nodded her head, bracing her body between the drawers and the bedframe to ease herself up the wall.

“Where’s Amelie? We need to leave”  
“Closet” Felicity huffed, her breath suddenly stolen as a tightening pulled across her stomach

Lyla opened the closet and didn’t immediately see Amelie until she raised her hands up at the familiar face.

She scooped the young girl into her arms, paying no mind to the grazed bullet wound on her left arm.

“Are you okay to walk Felicity? There is an Argus safe house nearby, they’ll let me in, we’ll be safe there” Lyla spoke, looking at Felicity who was panting heavily as she braced her body against the set of drawers  
“Do they have a doctor?” Felicity asked in short fragments  
“Why, are you shot?” Lyla asked with concern  
“No, but my water broke and” she paused while the pain radiated across her stomach, pulling in and rolling over giving way to an indescribable desire to push “I’m pretty sure I’m in labour”

********

Oliver saw the moment the light drained from Tommy’s eyes. It was a mix of emotions that he had no time to process right now. He had Thea and he needed to get to Felicity – those were his only two certainties.

His eyes moved to where he had left Thea, but the space was empty.  
“Where did she go?” Oliver called to John behind him, who was now as equally perplexed.

In a split second that they had both taken their eyes off her, she had disappeared into darkness.

Oliver stumbled forward looking around him but seeing nothing. He called her name, although not expecting a response.

She was gone.

His mind returned to Felicity.  
_It isn’t my blade that she will taste, but it will be done_  
He needed to get back to the house.

John’s phone chirped out into the night.  
“It’s Lyla” he said, both alarmed and relieved  
“Where are you?” John’s words mirrored what Oliver would be saying  
“She’s okay?”  
“Amelie?”  
“We’re on our way”

The phone call finished and John looked across at Oliver, who face was a paled shade  
“They made it out of the house, they’re okay Oliver” John reassured, nodding his head  
“Where are they?” Oliver asked, desperate to see them, to hold them  
“At the hospital-”  
“But you said they were all okay?” Oliver interrupted, his voice instantly raising  
“The maternity wing of the hospital – Felicity is in labour” John replied, a calming hand placed on Oliver’s shoulder

* * *

“Where is she?” Oliver asked as he and John barrelled through the waiting room doors  
“Down the hall” Lyla replied  
Oliver looked over at Amelie who had barely registered them, her body parked in front of the television playing an animated movie Oliver didn’t have the time or energy to name.

“I’ve got her, you go” John replied, reading the concern on Oliver’s face  
Oliver couldn’t spare another second, his heart racing his mind a wash of words he needed to say to her. He was wrong for pushing her away, wrong for making her believe – even for a second – that she had any blame in this. He needed the words to come out of his mouth before she had a chance to rebuke them.

He needed her to know that he loved her. She was his always.  
They were a family.

“Don’t come near me, no, stay away” he could hear Felicity’s voice, panicked and loud  
He rounded the corner of the hallway, his shoes slipping against the linoleum floor sending a high-pitched squeak through the sterile hall  
“I swear to god if you come near me with that thing. Stay away, I won’t let you”

Oliver burst through the door expecting to see a room full of assassins and ready for the fight, but instead he was presented with two very shaken up nurses and a female doctor who was attempting to calm Felicity down.

“Felicity?” Oliver calls out as he watches her body push up against the headboard of the hospital bed  
“Oliver, thank god” she sighed, relaxing her grip on the pen she was threatening the doctor with

“Sir, are you the father of this baby?” the clearly flustered doctor asked, a slight agitation in her voice  
  
“Yes, he made it, you made it” Felicity sighed her body easing with relief onto the bed  
“Is everything okay?” Oliver asked sliding beside the bed to take Felicity’s hand  
“We need your wife to let us examine her, she’s been refusing to let anyone near her” a nurse piped up, a tinge of confusion in her voice

Oliver looked at Felicity, half expecting her to correct the wife assumption, but she didn’t.  
“It’s fine, he’s here now. Do what you need to” she panted, each worded intercepted with a short breath  
Felicity’s hand paced at Oliver’s arm as a long pull banded over her core – a sudden and strong contraction.  
“Didn’t want you” she paused to bear down as the nurse decided she was fully dilated  
A long steady contraction held Felicity’s attention  
“To miss it” she finished, blinking her bright blue up at him, a glistening of sweat across her brow.

“Had to wait for you” she sighed, resting for a moment before the next fast approaching wave  
“Ms Smoak, when the next contraction hits, I want you to push” the doctor instruction, waving away one of the nurses now that Felicity wasn’t threatening them with a pen

“You’re a stubborn woman” Oliver whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead – all the other words he thought needed to be said could wait for now  
“And you’re a spoilt trust fund-er” she smiled as a soft chuckle passed over her lips

In that moment nothing else matter. Oliver was where he needed to be – holding her hand.

The rest was like a blur, the long driven pain, the deep surging of her body and then the release of it all – the sudden, and instant, halting of time until a strong wail bounced off the four walls.

The wail of their son.  
In that moment, not another thing mattered.

* * *

  
Oliver looked down at the tiny features of his son, wrapped in a woolen blanket and fast asleep in his arms. He was every bit perfect.

“Hey” Felicity spoke from the bed beside the chair where Oliver was sat  
Her eyes were heavy from exhaustion.  
“Hey, he’s sleeping. You should rest too” Oliver smiled, hiding a sense of sadness in his eyes

“You’re sad” Felicity replied, softly pressing her dry lips together  
“This just all reminds me of Thea, I remember what she was born, I held her and I promised her that I would be a good big brother, that I would always protect her” Oliver sniffed back the tears.

He had told Felicity about the rooftop fight and about Tommy. She had listened, her eyes never once judging him and her words only ones chosen to sooth his thoughts – anything else could wait.

“We’ll find her Oliver, together, you and I. We won’t give up on Thea” Felicity replied, her hand touching against Oliver’s forearm  
“We’re stronger together” Oliver remarked, fixing his eyes on the furrowing lips of his baby boy  
“Did you decide on a name?” Felicity asked, her eyes slowly drooping  
“Alexander, it goes well with Smoak” Oliver replied, his eyes blinking up to look at Felicity as she started to drift off  
“It goes better with Queen” she sighed contentedly  
“Alexander Queen” Oliver nodded

He would be their beautiful conclusion to one chapter and the start of another.

**The end.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. So, that is that.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this, to those who have left kudos or comments.... you're awesome, thank you.
> 
> Very special thanks to Tav, my idea bouncer, I would be lost without you.
> 
> Thank you again xoxo  
> @someonesaidcake


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